Gazpacho with Prawns, Avocado & Basil

This has to be one of the simplest & flavour packed summer soups. Served chilled it’s so refreshing on a hot summer’s day. Serve straight up as is or get fancy like I have here and top it with prawns, avocado, chopped heirloom tomatoes and basil.

For vegan, leave off the prawns and perhaps add some olives and for vegetarian, some marinated feta spooned through works so well.

Prep time – 30 minutes

Serves 2

Ingredients

3 vine ripened tomatoes, roughly chopped

1 red capsicum, roughly chopped

1 large Lebanese cucumber, roughly chopped

½ red onion, diced

2 clove garlic

¼ toasted almonds or hazelnuts, optional

¼ cup sherry or red wine vinegar

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil + extra to drizzle

Flake sea salt, fresh ground black pepper

2 handful basil leaves

1 ripe avocado, diced

½ punnet cherry heirloom tomatoes, cut into quarters

6 cooked tiger prawns, peeled, diced

To serve, grilled crusty bread

Method

Prepare the ingredients then chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours to make sure they are cold.

Place the prepared tomatoes, capsicums, cucumber, onion, garlic into the Jug of the blender, along with the nuts, vinegar, olive oil and a generous seasoning of salt and pepper.

Blend on low speed for 20 seconds to break everything down then turn the speed up to high and blend for 1 minute to a smooth silky soup then taste and adjust the seasoning Chill in the fridge if not serving straight away -  just give it a quick blend to emulsify again before serving.

Pour the soup between two bowls, spoon over the avocado, heirloom tomatoes and prawns.

Season with a little black pepper, drizzle with more olive oil and scatter extra basil. Serve with grilled sourdough.