Garden Gazpacho

It’s already starting to get chilly here in Portland.  Despite the fact that summer didn’t really start until July, it seems like fall is already upon us.

But just a few weeks ago it was hot.  Really, really hot.  I’m normally very heat tolerant.  I lived in South Carolina for half a decade as a kid and learned how to beat the heat.  Move slowly.  Stay in the shade.  Drink lots of iced tea.

When the temperature crept into the high 90s, though, I decided that it was time for cold foods.  Did I mention my house isn’t air conditioned?  No way I was turning on the stove.

This ended up being easier than I thought it would be.  My boyfriend had recently frozen a flat of fantastic strawberries, so we had smoothies for breakfast.  Cold turkey sandwiches for lunch.  And gazpacho for dinner.  Delicious, refreshing, life-saving gazpacho.

I started with a basic tomato-based gazpacho recipe and then added a bunch of other summer produce for flavor and textural contrast.  The vegetables are the star of this dish, so use the highest quality that you can afford.

If you care about that sort of thing, this soup is both raw and vegan.

Soup is good food.

Garden Gazpacho

serves 4

Ingredients

2.5 pounds heirloom tomatoes (plum, roma, or homegrown works too)
1 zucchini
2 orange bell peppers
3 cloves of garlic
1/2 cup water
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
sat and pepper to taste

1) Finely chop the garlic and roughly chop the tomato.  Add the olive oil, vinegar, tomato, and garlic to the blender and whizz until combined but still a little chunky.  Slowly add the water until the tomatoes reach a thick, soupy consistency.

2) Roughly chop the zucchini into coins and add to the blender.  Whizz until the zucchini is reduced to little chunks and slivers.

3) Dice the bell pepper and stir it into the soup.  Do not blend it, otherwise the bell pepper will be pulped and you’ll lose the crunch.  Salt and pepper to taste.

4) Chill the soup in the fridge for at least a few hours.  Ideally, it should chill for a full day.  The longer it chills, the deeper the flavors will be.

5) Serve with a drizzle of good olive oil on top and a side of crusty bread.