B
ritish tomatoes are currently at their peak, so it would be discourteous of me to not share a recipe that celebrates their magnificence. This chilled tomato soup truly highlights their savory and sweet flavors, showcasing the tomato’s remarkable ability to become a satisfying meal without any cooking required. In this adaptation, I’ve taken the renowned Andalusian gazpacho on a journey to Korea, where it encountered the delightful combination of gochujang and pear. The mingling of sweet heat and cool, salty savoriness is where the true pleasure of this dish lies.
Gochujang gazpacho
Gochujang is a versatile Korean pepper paste that can now be found in most large UK supermarkets and East Asian supermarkets. It adds warmth to your meals, serving as an excellent substitute for chili. If the weather isn’t cooperating, save this recipe for a more appropriate time. If you’re short on time to chill the soup, you can serve it over ice cubes.
Prep: 10 min
Cook: 20 min
Chill: 2 hr+
Serves: 6 for lunch
Ingredients:
50g crustless white bread, roughly chopped
2½ tbsp gochujang paste
75ml rapeseed oil
1kg ripe tomatoes, chopped
2 red romano peppers, stalks, seeds and pith discarded, flesh roughly chopped (175g net)
4 spring onions (100g), trimmed and roughly chopped
1 ripe pear, cored and chopped, (125g net)
1 tbsp white-wine vinegar
1 tbsp light soy sauce
¼ tsp white pepper
For the garlic butter croutons:
200g sliced bread
100g unsalted vegan butter
2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
25g parsley, leaves picked, to get 15g, finely chopped
¼ tsp fine salt
Place the bread, gochujang, and two tablespoons of water in a food processor or blender, and blend until it forms a paste. With the motor running, gradually add the oil and continue blending until smooth. Add the chopped tomatoes, peppers, spring onions, and pear, then blend again. Season with vinegar, soy sauce, and white pepper. Blend one final time until you achieve a smooth and creamy consistency. Refrigerate the soup for a couple of hours.
Just before serving, toast the sliced bread and cut it into 1cm cubes. Heat the vegan butter in a frying pan over high heat. Once melted, add the minced garlic and salt, and cook, stirring, for a minute. Add the toasted bread cubes and stir-fry for three to four minutes, allowing them to absorb the butter. Toss in the chopped parsley, remove from heat, and let it cool.
To serve, pour the chilled gazpacho into bowls and garnish with the garlicky croutons.
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