Gazpacho Is the Soup of Summer
Pack a perfect picnic with cool summertime gazpacho. Loaded with the season’s freshest flavors, gazpacho proves that sometimes the best summer refreshment doesn’t come in a glass. This is a great meal choice when you don’t want to heat your home while cooking.
Summertime Gazpacho
Serves 8
Ingredients
2 cups chopped cucumber (peeled and seeded)
1 cup chopped red bell pepper (seeded)
1 medium onion, chopped
2 to 3 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs (parsley, tarragon, or thyme)
Juice from ½ lemon
¼ cup red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons tomato paste
3 cups canned tomato juice
Cayenne pepper, to taste
Kosher salt, to taste
1 cup croutons, for garnishing
Directions
Place 2 tablespoons of each of the following on a small plate: chopped tomatoes, chopped cucumber, chopped bell pepper, and chopped onion. Cover and refrigerate until ready to garnish the gazpacho.
Add the remaining chopped tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, and onion to a blender. Add the garlic, herbs, lemon juice, vinegar, tomato paste, tomato juice, cayenne pepper, and salt to the blender. Puree until desired consistency is reached. Adjust lemon juice, cayenne pepper, and salt, if desired. Pour the gazpacho into a large bowl; cover and chill for at least 3 hours, preferably overnight.
When ready to serve, remove gazpacho from the refrigerator and stir. You can adjust the consistency of the gazpacho by adding a little water to it. Ladle gazpacho into chilled serving bowls. Garnish gazpacho with the reserved chopped tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, onion, and croutons.
