Roasted Red Pepper Gazpacho with Serrano Ham Crisps

Choose the most flavoursome, fragrant, vine-ripened tomatoes that you can find and you’ll be rewarded with the best-tasting gazpacho.
 

Roasted Red Pepper Gazpacho with Serrano Ham Crisps

Serves: 4

Preparation time: 25 minutes plus chilling time

Cooking time: 25 minutes

 
2 romano red peppers
1kg/2lb 4oz large vine-ripened tomatoes
2 slices of day-old bread, crusts removed
1 cucumber, peeled, deseeded and chopped
1 green chilli, deseeded and chopped
1 garlic clove
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
juice of 1 lime and 1 lemon
1 tsp caster sugar
a few drops of Tabasco sauce
4–6 slices of Serrano ham
1 handful of basil leaves, for sprinkling
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
 
For the Croutons:
 
2 slices of day-old bread, crusts removed
1 garlic clove, halved lengthways
2 tbsp olive oil
 
1. Preheat the Grill to high. grill the peppers for 15 minutes, turning them occasionally, until softened and blackened in places. Put the peppers in a plastic bag and leave for 5 minutes (this will make the skins easier to remove). Remove the skin and seeds and leave to one side.
 
2. Meanwhile, using a small, sharp knife, cut a shallow cross in the bottom of each tomato, then put them in a heatproof bowl and cover with just-boiled water. Leave to stand for 2 minutes, then drain. Peel off and discard the tomato skins, then deseed and cut the flesh into large chunks.
 
3. Soak the bread in 150ml/5fl oz/scant ⅔ cup water in a shallow dish for 5 minutes. Remove the bread from the dish (it will have absorbed most of the water) and tear into chunks.
 
4. Put half the soaked bread, roasted peppers, tomatoes, cucumber, chilli, garlic, extra virgin olive oil, lime and lemon juice in a blender with 200ml/7fl oz/scant 1 cup cold water and blend until combined but chunky. Repeat with the remaining ingredients and another 200ml/7fl oz/scant 1 cup cold water. Combine the two batches in a large jug, stir in the sugar and a few drops of Tabasco and season. Chill, covered, for 2–3 hours.
 
5. To make the croûtons, rub the bread slices with the cut side of the garlic cloves. Cut the bread into cubes and put them in a small plastic bag with the oil. Seal the bag and shake gently to coat the bread in the olive oil. Heat a large, non-stick frying pan and fry the croûtons over a medium heat for 6–8 minutes until crisp and golden all over. Leave to drain on kitchen paper.
 
6. Wipe the frying pan clean and add the ham in a single layer. Cook for 3 minutes, or until crisp, turning once. Leave to cool slightly, then break into large bite-sized pieces. Ladle the soup into bowls and scatter the croûtons, Serrano crisps and basil leaves over before serving.

Having grown up on the family’s delicious, homemade Cucumber Relish, Emma Macdonald had the simple idea that full-flavored, quality chutneys and preserves needed to be brought to the specialty sector. In The BayTree Home Deli Recipes she reveals all her deli-ingredient making secrets and shows you how to create delicious meals from them.

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