So many ways to make a great gazpacho

MADRID — In Spain, there are as many gazpachos as there are Spaniards. Every family here has its own recipe with its own little changes.

I much prefer gazpacho made in a food mill, as that allows for some texture, and that is the way it was made when I was young. Nowadays it is done in a blender, but it does not turn out exactly the same. Machine-blended gazpacho with bread and olive oil is more like a salmorejo, but without that soup’s creamy smoothness.

Although tomatoes and peppers arrived on our tables by the 16th century, red gazpachos that used them did not become popular until the 19th century. Big landowner families that had a lot of country employees generally had a “gazpachero,” a man who would prepare gazpacho for the peasants working on their estates. These men made gazpacho by pounding the vegetable mixture in an olive wood bowl, as in a mortar. They were very patient, as it took quite some time.

The main difference between gazpacho and some of its variations lies in texture and emulsion. In a classic Spanish gazpacho, olive oil is simply stirred in at the end; in salmorejo, porra and other soups, the olive oil is emulsified, resulting in a brighter orange color and a smooth, creamy texture. Pipirrana’s components are the same as those in gazpacho, but they are diced; with the addition of a little water or ice cubes, it turns into a liquid salad, and the bread is served separately, for dipping.

(When making salmorejo or porra, which use a greater amount of bread, it is a good idea to process the ingredients twice, to achieve a smooth, velvety texture.)

Gazpacho is a sophisticated dish that takes to a multitude of variations. But with all its versatility, it still requires a certain balance of components. In particular, too much sherry vinegar or garlic can ruin it.

Here in Spain, gazpacho can be a drink, an appetizer, a tapa, a dip, a sauce or seasoning, a starter, a main dish, even a dessert. It is eaten at any time of the day and at any time during a meal. Nothing is more delicious than a piece of toast smeared with a little gazpacho or salmorejo for breakfast! Gazpacho goes well with almost everything but is difficult to pair with wine. The best wines to drink with gazpacho are sherries (fortified wines from Jerez) and whites.

Gazpacho can be served in a glass or bowl, on a plate, as a dip, with the garnishes on the side or over it, but always fresh or cold — never frozen, though, except for the exotic creations of the most adventurous chefs. The traditional earthenware bowl is perfect to maintain its cold temperature during hot summer months.

Classic Gazpacho

4 servings (makes 5 1/2 cups)

This might be a bit thinner than the gazpachos you’re used to, but its consistency is authentically Spanish. Be sure to rinse the tomatoes before you use them. Picual olive oil is recommended here for its buttery start and peppery finish; the picual olive is Spanish.

MAKE AHEAD: The vegetables need to marinate in the refrigerator for a few hours and preferably overnight. We found picual olive oil at Harris Teeter stores and Moms Organic Markets.

From Madrid chef Gabriela Llamas.

Generous 2 1/2 pounds tomatoes and their juices, hulled and chopped, plus diced tomatoes for garnish

1 small (3 1/2 ounces) seeded, chopped red bell pepper, plus diced red bell pepper for garnish

2/3 cup (about 3 ounces) peeled, chopped cucumber (seedless or seeded), plus diced cucumber for garnish

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 slice day-old bread (crusts removed), torn into small pieces, plus small croutons for garnish (optional)

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher or sea salt, or more as needed

1 1/2 tablespoons Jimenez or other good-quality Spanish sherry vinegar, or more as needed

Small pinch ground cumin (optional)

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, preferably picual olive variety, plus more for optional drizzling (see headnote)

Diced white onion, for garnish

Diced green bell pepper, for garnish

Combine the chopped tomatoes, red bell pepper, cucumber, garlic and bread, if using, in an earthenware or glass bowl. Add the salt, vinegar and cumin, if using, tossing to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least a few hours and preferably overnight.

To make the soup the traditional way, mash all the ingredients in the bowl. Place a fine-mesh strainer over a separate bowl, then, working in batches, use a flexible spatula to push the mashed mixture, including its liquid, through the strainer. After you have extracted as much moisture as possible from the solids, discard them.

Faster ways: Process the marinated mixture through a hand-cranked food mill (using its smallest-holed screen); or place the marinated vegetables and their liquid in a high-powered blender and puree on the highest speed for about 1 1/2 minutes, then strain through a fine-mesh strainer. (Discard the solids afterward for both of those methods, too.)

Stir the oil into the strained gazpacho. Taste; add salt and/or vinegar, as needed. Transfer to an airtight container; refrigerate until ready to use.

Serve chilled, with the garnishes on the side — diced tomato, cucumber, onion, and red and green pepper; and croutons, if using — for everyone to help themselves. Drizzle with a little oil, if desired.

Per serving: 320 calories, 4 g protein, 18 g carbohydrates, 29 g fat, 4 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 480 mg sodium, 4 g dietary fiber, 9 g sugar

 Salmorejo

6 to 8 servings (makes 4 3/4 cups)

This is akin to gazpacho but made creamy and thicker with cooked egg yolks and day-old bread. It is inexpensive to make yet refined — and a beautiful color. Hojiblanca or arbequina olive oil is recommended here; the former for its slight sweetness, and the latter for its fruity flavor.

For striking color and flavor, add a beet; see the VARIATION, below.

From Madrid chef Gabriela Llamas, author of “Let’s Cook Spanish, a Family Cookbook: Vamos a Cocinar Espa?ol,” (Quarry Books, 2016).

5 1/4 ounces crustless day-old bread or firm bread

2 hard-cooked eggs, separated into yolks and whites

2 1/2 pounds hulled, peeled, seeded tomatoes (see NOTE)

2 to 3 cloves garlic, chopped

1 teaspoon kosher or sea salt, plus more as needed

2 to 2 1/2 tablespoons Jimenez or good-quality Spanish sherry vinegar

1 cup extra-virgin olive oil, preferably hojiblanca or arbequina olive variety (see headnote)

3 1/2 ounces minced Iberian or cured ham, for garnish

Place the bread in a mixing bowl; barely cover it with water and let it sit for 10 to 15 minutes, then drain it and squeeze out the excess moisture.

Transfer the bread to the blender along with the cooked egg yolks, tomatoes, garlic (to taste), salt, vinegar (to taste) and oil; puree to an almost mayonnaise-like consistency.

Divide among individual small bowls or glasses.

Mince the remaining egg whites, then top each portion with a bit of them, and the ham. Season lightly with salt, as you like.

NOTE: To peel the tomatoes, score a shallow X in the bottoms. Submerge them in a bowl of just-boiled water for 20 to 30 seconds, then immediately transfer to an ice-water bath. The skins will slip off easily. Seed the tomatoes by cutting them into wedges, then removing the pockets of gel from each one.

VARIATION: Add 1 cooked beet (3 ounces; about the size of an apricot) to the blender and an extra small pinch of salt.

Per serving (based on 8): 330 calories, 4 g protein, 15 g carbohydrates, 29 g fat, 5 g saturated fat, 45 mg cholesterol, 270 mg sodium, 2 g dietary fiber, 4 g sugar

 Gazpacho Cake

8 to 10 servings

This is an easy, refreshing way to use up leftover tomato-based gazpacho, and a finger-food-friendly way to take it on a picnic.

To make this nondairy, chef Gabriela Llamas says silken tofu or 2 extra cups of gazpacho can be substituted for the cream cheese used here; replace the small amount of Manchego cheese with an equal amount of extra olive oil crackers. You’ll need a 9-inch springform pan. If the weather or your kitchen is very hot, use the greater amount of powdered gelatin (2 3/4 tablespoons).

Serve with crackers or crisp flatbread.

MAKE AHEAD: The crust needs to set in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes and up to overnight. The undecorated cake needs to set, covered, in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours (and up to a day in advance).

Ines Rosales brand tortas are available at Whole Foods Markets.

Adapted from Gabriela Llamas, chef-instructor at La Huerta del Emperador in Madrid.

• For the crust

A generous 6 ounces olive oil crackers, such as Ines Rosales brand Tortas With Sesame and Sea Salt (see headnote; may substitute other savory olive oil crackers)

3/4 ounce raw almonds

Scant 1 1/2 ounces (40 grams) aged Manchego cheese, grated (see headnote)

Scant 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

• For the filling

2 1/2 to 2 3/4 tablespoons powdered gelatin, or more as needed (see headnote)

1/4 cup cold water

3 cups Classic Gazpacho (see related recipe above)

About 2 cups (14 1/2 ounces) low-fat cream cheese, at room temperature (do not use nonfat; see headnote)

Pinch ground cumin (optional)

2/3 cup seeded, diced red bell pepper

1/4 cup seeded, diced green bell pepper

1/4 cup minced white onion

1 small red hot chili pepper, seeded and minced

Kosher salt, as needed

Freshly ground black pepper, as needed

• For serving

Snipped chives, for garnish

Quartered cherry tomatoes, for garnish (optional)

Fresh herbs (your choice)

Thin cucumber or green tomato slices, for garnish

For the crust: Break up the crackers, letting them fall into the bowl of a food processor. Add the almonds, cheese and butter; pulse long enough for the mixture to come together, with no big pieces of almond. Press into the bottom, and an inch or so up the sides, of the springform pan. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or until ready to use (up to overnight).

For the filling: Sprinkle the gelatin over the water in a small saucepan (off the heat). Once it has dissolved, add 2 tablespoons of the gazpacho; cook for 1 to 2 minutes over low heat, stirring, just until the mixture is well blended. Be careful not to overheat.

Combine the remaining gazpacho, cream cheese and the cumin, if using, in a high-powered blender; puree until smooth and no trace of white cream cheese remains. Add the gelatin mixture and puree just until well incorporated. Transfer to a mixing bowl, then gently stir in the red and green bell peppers, hot red pepper and onion. Taste, and add salt and/or black pepper as needed.

Pour over the chilled crust, spreading the filling evenly. Cover (not directly on the surface) and refrigerate for at least 6 hours and preferably overnight.

When ready to serve, run a round-edged knife around the inside rim of the springform pan, then remove the ring. Transfer the gazpacho cake to a platter; decorate the top with chives, quartered cherry tomatoes, if using, the herbs and the cucumber or green tomato slices.

Serve chilled.

Per serving (based on 10): 360 calories, 9 g protein, 21 g carbohydrates, 28 g fat, 9 g saturated fat, 35 mg cholesterol, 490 mg sodium, 2 g dietary fiber, 8 g sugar