Great Gazpacho!

It’s hot as blazes out there, ya’ll, so let’s just cut right to the chase. Here are five good reasons you need to make this gazpacho right now:

1.  Your garden is in full harvest, or you couldn’t resist buying a whole bushel of beefsteaks or mortgage lifters at the farmer’s market, and you’re drowning in maters! Gazpacho to the rescue!
2. It is too. Dang. Hot. To. Cook.  Not only is this recipe super refreshing when the mercury’s done busted out the top of the thermometer, gazpacho doesn’t require cooking (unless you’re prissy and insist on peeling the tomatoes). It’s my good fortune that my veggie-loving husband is as happy as I am with a big bowl of gazpacho and some cheese and crackers for dinner, or a giant salad and some crusty bread. Think I’ll keep him.
3. You have overindulged on Pegster’s chocolate chip cookies, and who can blame you?  Problem is, that itsy-bitsy bikini (or even your sensible Land’s End maillot) now has the look and feel of a polka-dotted tourniquet.  Time to balance out your diet with the season’s fresh veggies. Don’t quote me on this, but I think you may actually burn more calories chopping veggies for gazpacho than you consume on the finished product.  How many things can you say that about?
4.  This gazpacho is soooo delicious. I’ve added an ‘Asian’ flair to mine, with fresh ginger, soy sauce and cilantro, and it really makes the soup sing. If that’s not your jam, try a bit more garlic and fresh basil or mint. This recipe is super adaptable, so let your creative flag fly.
5.  For summer entertaining, gazpacho is the perfect first course to a grilled supper.  Serve mugs of it to your guests during happy hour, followed by a dinner of steaks or burgers and corn on the cob, hot off the grill. 

Summer nirvana!

Great Gazpacho!

Recipe by Betsy OwensCourse: SoupsDifficulty: Easy

Servings

6

servings

Prep time

30

minutes

Cooking timeminutes

When it’s too hot to cook, just press “puree.”

Ingredients

• 4 large tomatoes, roughly chopped (peeled, optional)

• 1/3 large purple onion, chopped

• 1 large cucumber, peeled, seeded and chopped

• 1 red pepper, seeded and chopped

• 1 large garlic clove, minced

• 2 cups tomato juice

• 1/2 cup chicken broth or vegetable broth

• 3 Tbs. olive oil

• 1/3 cup chopped cilantro

• 2 Tbs. freshly squeezed lemon juice

• 1 Tbs. finely minced fresh ginger

• 2 Tbs. soy sauce

• 2 Tbs. sriracha sauce

• 1/2 tsp. fresh ground pepper

• sour cream or plain yogurt and cilantro for garnish, optional

Directions

• Prep all ingredients as described and add to a blender, adding tomato juice last. Don’t fill to the very rim with tomato juice so you don’t have a messy explosion on your hands–you can add the remainder after blending.
• Blend well for about 60 seconds, or to desired texture. Stir with large spoon and taste test to make sure there are no large chunks.
• Best to refrigerate for at least 3 hours to allow flavors to blend.
• Garnish and serve!