Gazpacho (Portuguese Version)

Ingredients

1.5 kg of ripe tomatoes

1 cucumber (300 to 400g)

1 red pepper

1 small purple onion

4 cloves of garlic

1 handful of coriander

60 ml of red wine vinegar

100 ml of extra virgin olive oil

1.5 teaspoons of salt

black pepper to taste

10 cherry tomatoes (for decoration) – optional

Directions

Make the mise en place: wash the tomatoes and cut them into large pieces. You do not need to remove the skin.

For the cucumber: peel them, keeping some thin strips of skin, and cut half into large pieces and the other half in a fine dice.

Cut half pepper and half onion into large pieces and half into small diced pieces.

Peel the garlic.

Put the tomatoes in the blender cup and start blending – add the large pieces of cucumber (and some cucumber skins, too many will make it bitter), half pepper, half onion, garlic and coriander. If the glass gets too full blend as much as possible and move some to a pitcher.

Continue to blend without stopping by adding olive oil, vinegar, salt and black pepper.

Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary.

Store in the refrigerator, covered, overnight.

At the time of serving add to each bowl/plate: cucumber cubes, onion, pepper, cherry tomato slices and coriander leaves.

Serve very fresh.