Gazpacho offers ease of pantry staples

There are seemingly countless versions of gazpacho — smooth or chunky, vegetable-filled or tomato-forward, fruity and sweet or rich and savory — and just about all of them are delicious.

Gazpacho is thought to have its origins in ancient Roman bread and olive oil soup. Eventually, it made its way to southern Spain and, once tomatoes were brought to Europe, they were incorporated into the soup. This early tomato gazpacho contained little more than tomatoes, bread, garlic, olive oil and vinegar, but as it continued to be prepared and served, all manner of fresh, raw ingredients were added.

Now that tomato season is beginning to wane, it’s great to have a pantry version of gazpacho in your back pocket. Its mellow, rich flavor is different from the bright, zippy soup made from peak-season tomatoes, but that is by no means a bad thing. And you can make it any time of the year you’d like.

Simply blend together a can of whole peeled tomatoes — no need to purchase a fancy brand — with a jar of roasted red peppers and their canning liquid, a clove of garlic and some olive oiltoasted bread. To finish, drizzle in vinegar and olive oil while the blender is running, which will emulsify the soup into a creamy, satisfying dish. Make sure to use a flavorful vinegar (I like sherry, but red wine will work as well) and robust, fruity olive oil — these ingredients really come through in the finished soup.

I like to top the soup with a bit of chopped Vidalia onion, cucumber and parsley, along with a drizzle of olive oil and a few more bits of toasted bread. But since this is a pantry recipe, stick to toppings that you’ve already got around the house; toasted nuts would be equally good, as would a few shavings of Parmesan. Feel free to play around.