Equipment
* optional
Ingredients
Yellow Gazpacho Base
- 800 g yellow tomatoes, cored and roughly chopped
- 200 g yellow bell pepper, seeded and roughly chopped
- 150 g sweet corn kernels, cut from the cob
- 150 g english cucumber, peeled and roughly chopped
- 50 g shallot, peeled and chopped
- 10 g garlic, peeled and smashed
- 30 ml sherry vinegar
- 8 g fine sea salt
- 2 g white pepper, freshly ground
- 80 ml extra virgin olive oil
Goat Cheese Croutons
- 120 g sourdough bread, cut into 2cm cubes
- 30 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 80 g soft goat cheese, room temperature
- 2 g fresh thyme, leaves only
Nutrition (per serving)
Method
In a large mixing bowl, combine the chopped yellow tomatoes, yellow bell pepper, sweet corn kernels, peeled cucumber, shallot, garlic, sherry vinegar, salt, and white pepper. Toss well to combine.
Cover the bowl and let the vegetables macerate at room temperature for 30 minutes to draw out their natural juices and soften the cellular structure.
Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F to prepare for the croutons.
Toss the sourdough cubes with 30ml of olive oil on a baking sheet. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until golden brown and crisp. Remove and let cool slightly.
Transfer the macerated vegetables and all accumulated juices into a high-speed blender. Blend on high for 2 to 3 minutes until completely smooth.
Reduce the blender speed to medium-low. Remove the center cap of the lid and slowly stream in the 80ml of extra virgin olive oil to create a creamy, stable emulsion.
Transfer the blended gazpacho to a sealed container and refrigerate for at least 2 hours to chill thoroughly and allow the flavors to meld.
Just before serving, smear the soft goat cheese generously over the warm toasted sourdough croutons and sprinkle with fresh thyme leaves.
Pour the deeply chilled yellow gazpacho into shallow bowls. Garnish each bowl with the goat cheese croutons and an extra drizzle of high-quality olive oil.
Chef's Notes
- Using perfectly ripe, peak-season yellow tomatoes is crucial for this recipe. Out-of-season tomatoes will yield a bland, watery soup.
- Macerating the vegetables before blending is a professional technique that draws out natural pectins from the tomatoes, resulting in a much silkier, creamier mouthfeel without adding any dairy.
- Temperature dulls the palate, so cold soups require more aggressive seasoning than hot soups. Always taste and adjust salt and vinegar again right before serving the chilled gazpacho.
- White pepper is preferred over black pepper in this application strictly for visual presentation, ensuring the vibrant yellow canvas is not speckled with black flakes.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store the gazpacho and croutons separately. Croutons will lose their crispness if refrigerated.
