2021 A to Z Challenge! G is for Gazpacho
Tomatoes are in da house! Or garden, or market. Summer's bounty is in full swing, and if you, like me, have more tomatoes ripening on the vine than you can eat in salads or BLTs, try this gazpacho.
It's a chilled tomato and vegetable soup, perfect for sweltering summer days.
Whereas gazpacho is a classic Spanish soup, this version takes a slight California detour. It uses plenty of fresh garden tomatoes, cucumbers, red onion, celery and bell pepper. It is spiced up a bit with some tabasco and Worcestershire sauce.
Make sure you use only the best, freshest ingredients for this soup. Great served with chopped avocado and crusty bread!
Gazpacho: PREP TIME: 25 mins COOK TIME: 0 mins TOTAL TIME:25 mins
SERVINGS: 8 servings
Ingredients
6 ripe tomatoes (about 3 lbs), peeled and chopped (yielding about 6 cups)
1 red onion, finely chopped (about 1 1/4 cups)
1 cucumber, peeled, seeded, chopped (about 1 cup)
1 sweet red bell pepper (or green) seeded and chopped (about 1 cup)
2 stalks celery, chopped (about 1 cup)
1-2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
1 clove garlic, minced (about 1 teaspoon)
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 teaspoons sugar (more may be needed to balance out the acidity of the tomatoes, add to taste)
Salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
6 or more drops of Tabasco sauce to taste
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce (omit for vegan or vegetarian option)
2 cups tomato juice (or 1 15-ounce can crushed tomatoes if you don't have tomato juice)
Place all ingredients in a large bowl. Use an immersion blender or blend in batches, to desired smoothness. We prefer our gazpacho somewhat chunky, so only pulse a few times in the blender. Adjust seasonings to taste.
Place in a non-reactive container (tomatoes are acidic) to store. Chill several hours or overnight to allow the flavors to blend.