Classic Gazpacho with Popcorn: A Crunchy Twist on the Spanish Cold Soup

Gazpacho is one of the great classics of Spanish summer cooking: a cold, smooth tomato soup with cucumber, pepper, garlic, olive oil and a touch of vinegar. This time I wanted to serve it in a slightly more unusual way, topped with homemade popcorn — the one in the photo.

Serves: 4 · Prep time: 5 min · Cook time: 5 min · Difficulty: Easy

It may sound strange, but it makes a lot of sense. In Spain, gazpacho is often served with small toppings: croutons, diced cucumber, pepper or onion. Popcorn plays the same role as the croutons, adding crunch and a salty note, but it is lighter and much more surprising. The contrast between the cold, silky soup and the warm, crunchy popcorn is what makes this dish fun. It is a great way to surprise your guests.

I'm not going to give you the gazpacho recipe here, as every family has its own. If you're looking for ideas for cold soups, on the blog you'll find Mum's Salmorejo, the thicker Cordoban cousin of gazpacho, and Mazamorra, a cold almond soup. What I will explain is how to make the popcorn from scratch, starting from the corn kernels, with a little oil and butter so it has much more flavour than microwave popcorn.

Ingredients for the popcorn

• 40 g popcorn kernels
• 1 tablespoon sunflower oil or mild olive oil
• 15 g butter
• Fine salt
• Extra virgin olive oil, to finish

Method

Put the oil and butter in a pan with a lid over medium heat. Once the butter has melted, add 3 or 4 kernels and cover the pan.

When these test kernels pop, the fat is at the right temperature. Add the rest of the kernels in a single layer, cover again and shake the pan from time to time so they don't burn. Leave the lid slightly open so the steam can escape — this keeps the popcorn crisp instead of chewy.

When there are 2 or 3 seconds between pops, take the pan off the heat. Tip the popcorn into a bowl and salt it straight away, while it is still hot, so the salt sticks.

Serve the gazpacho very cold in shallow bowls. Add the popcorn just before taking it to the table, so it doesn't go soggy, and finish with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Deeeeelicious.

Tips

• The butter gives the popcorn that cinema flavour, but it burns easily: keep the heat at medium, never on high. If you have clarified butter (ghee), even better, as it can take more heat.
• Make more popcorn than you need: the leftovers will disappear on their own.
• A pinch of smoked paprika (pimentón de la Vera) on the popcorn goes very well with the tomato.
• Don't stir the popcorn into the soup; just scatter it on top so each spoonful has a bit of crunch.

Frequently asked questions

Why put popcorn in gazpacho?
It works like croutons: it adds crunch and saltiness. It's lighter than bread and much more surprising.

Can I use microwave popcorn?
You can, but homemade popcorn with oil and butter has much more flavour, and you control the salt. Avoid sweet or caramel popcorn.

Why do my popcorn kernels not pop?
Usually because the oil isn't hot enough, or the kernels are old and have dried out. Use the test-kernel trick and keep the kernels in a closed jar.

How long does the popcorn stay crunchy in the soup?
Only a few minutes, which is why it's best to add it at the very last moment.

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