Mike made this for the first time Spring 2020 with some great produce we got at Berry’s Produce Stand. He set some aside for me before adding the bell pepper.
6-8 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)
1-2 sweet red bell pepper (or green or yellow) seeded and chopped (about 1 cup)
2-3 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
2-3 teaspoons sugar (more may be needed to balance out the acidity of the tomatoes, add to taste)
Salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
15-20 drops of Frank’s hot sauce, or to taste
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
2 cups Low Sodium V8
1-2 tablespoons cilantro, if desired, and chopped
Recipe
Put everything together in a large bowl. Blend with an immersion blender or in batches in a regular blender to the smoothness that you like. Taste and adjust seasonings, as needed.
Put in a non-reactive container and store, refrigerated, for several hours before serving.