Chilled Gazpacho

It is getting to be one of my favorite times of year... time for chilled soups. And what is better than chilled gazpacho. This is my own recipe, adapted originally from the Moosewood Cookbook. I spent some time in Madrid, Spain and got to see how the pros do it. We ate it almost every day. This is one of things that I make that people ask for again and again! The key to this soup is to make it a day in advance. That way the flavors have time to meld together, optimally. Try it and enjoy!

Chilled Gazpacho

½ onion, roughly chopped
1 medium clove of garlic
1 medium red bell pepper
1 medium cucumber, peeled & seeded and roughly chopped
¼ cup fresh parsley
2 scallions, white & green parts, roughly chopped

Put all of the above ingredients into a food processor and pulse until mix is minced.

Add…

2 cups of freshly diced tomatoes
Juice of ½ lemon
Juice of 1 lime
2 tablespoons of white wine vinegar (tarragon vinegar is best, if you can find it)
2 tablespoons of good quality olive oil
1 teaspoon of honey
½ teaspoon of kosher salt
¼ teaspoon of freshly ground pepper
A dash of ground cayenne
½ teaspoon of dried basil
½ teaspoon of dried tarragon (unless you are using tarragon vinegar)

Pulse until pureed. Transfer mixture to a large bowl and add…

4 cups tomato juice (or I like to use the Veggie Juice from Trader Joe’s)

Chill until very cold. I generally like to let this mixture set for at least 4 hours in the fridge. It is best when the flavors have a bit of time to meld.

If you like, you can serve with a little crème fraiche and/or diced veggies, like cucumber or red peppers. Garnish with a sprig of parsley.

This is a great party appetizer when served in small cups. Or if you are making it as a dinner course, it generally serves 6-8.