Gazpacho

Serves: 4-6
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: -

Ingredients

• 1 hothouse cucumber, halved and seeded, but not peeled
• 2 red bell peppers, cored and seeded
• 4 plum tomatoes
• 1/2 red onion
• 5 garlic cloves, minced
• 23 ounces tomato juice (3 cups)
• 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
• 1 T red balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 cup good olive oil
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup of chopped cilantro at the end

Steps

Roughly chop the cucumbers, bell peppers, tomatoes, and red onions into 1-inch cubes. Put each vegetable separately into a food processor fitted with a steel blade and pulse until it is coarsely chopped. Do not over-process!

After each vegetable is processed, combine them in a large bowl and add the garlic, tomato juice, vinegar, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Mix well and chill before serving. The longer gazpacho sits, the more the flavors develop.

Tips

An easy rule is three parts tomatoes to one part other ingredients, such as red, yellow and green bell peppers, onions, garlic, scallions, peeled cucumbers and seedless watermelon, all cut into chunks. I sometimes add parsley, cilantro or any other leafy herbs that I have in the fridge.

If you want a spicier version, mix up a a few green chilies (1/2 can), or increase the amount of garlic (mmmmm garlic).