Gazpacho is already a summer classic, but this tomato gazpacho version takes it somewhere far more refined. With silky tomato soup, frozen olive oil pearls and a vibrant yellow-pepper sorbet, this dish plays with temperature, texture and flavour most elegantly. It’s light, refreshing and quietly impressive, making it perfect for warm-weather entertaining or a standout starter.
Recipe by Richard Carstens
Tomato gazpacho, frozen olive oil and yellow-pepper sorbet with olives and herbs
Ingredients
Tomato gazpacho
- 1kg beefsteak tomatoes
- 10 fresh basil leaves
- 60ml (¼ cup) sherry vinegar
- 45ml (3 tbsp) olive oil
- 1 medium red pepper, seeded and chopped
- 1 small cucumber, chopped
- 1 medium onion, peeled and chopped
- 1 garlic clove, peeled and chopped
- 15ml (1 tbsp) tomato paste
Stock syrup
- 150ml water
- 150g sugar
Yellow-pepper sorbet
- 500g yellow peppers, seeded and chopped
- 10ml (2 tsp) olive oil
- 20ml (4 tsp) rice wine vinegar
- 125ml (½ cup) stock syrup
- 15ml (1 tbsp) liquid glucose
To serve
- 200ml olive oil, placed in a small container in the freezer until frozen
- fresh basil
- fresh parsley
- 8 Kalamata olives, pitted and chopped
Instructions
For the gazpacho, combine all of the ingredients in bowl and set aside to macerate, 1 hour. Blend until smooth and strain through a sieve.
For the syrup, combine all of the ingredients in a pot over medium heat and cook until the sugar has dissolved.
For the sorbet, sauté the peppers in the olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat until soft. Deglaze with the vinegar and cook until reduced by half, about 2 minutes. Add the stock syrup and glucose and stir to combine. Remove from heat and blend before straining through a chinois (conical sieve) or fine mesh strainer. Churn in a sorbetière according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Place in the freezer until frozen completely. If you do not have a sorbetière, place in a freezer-proof container in the freezer. Just before frozen, but still liquid, beat with electric beaters until smooth. Return to the freezer until frozen completely.
To assemble the dish, scoop out balls of the frozen olive oil using a melon baller. Pour the soup into bowls and add a scoop of sorbet and some frozen olive oil balls. Garnish with fresh herbs and a sprinkling of olives.
Also See: Chargrilled watermelon gazpacho with avocado salsa and garlic toast
Chargrilled watermelon gazpacho with avocado salsa and garlic toast
