Gazpacho

1. Soak Chile and Bread

Soak the dried ancho chile in hot water for about 15 minutes until it softens. Place the crustless cubes of day-old country-style white bread in a bowl and cover them with cold water. Let the bread soak for a couple of minutes, then drain and squeeze out the excess water.

2. Prepare Garlic Paste

Using a mortar and pestle, pound the garlic cloves with a pinch of salt until you achieve a smooth paste. Add the soaked bread to the garlic paste in the mortar and continue pounding until you have a smooth bread paste.

3. Grate Tomatoes

Cut the tomatoes in half and grate them using a box grater over a bowl, discarding the skins. If you prefer a smoother texture, you can pass the tomato pulp through a strainer to remove the seeds.

4. Combine Ingredients

Stir the soaked and puréed ancho chile, the bread paste, and the tomato pulp together in a large bowl. Add 0.25 cup of extra-virgin olive oil and a pinch of salt, then refrigerate the mixture.

5. Prepare Relish

In a separate bowl, mix together the halved cherry tomatoes, diced cucumber, yellow bell pepper, and red onion. Add the chopped chervil and basil, 2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar, and another 0.25 cup of extra-virgin olive oil. Season the relish with salt and fresh-ground black pepper to taste.

6. Serve Gazpacho

Divide the chilled gazpacho into serving bowls and garnish each with a generous spoonful of the herb-tomato relish. Drizzle extra-virgin olive oil over the top and enjoy.