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Gale's Gazpacho

Source of Recipe

From "Gale Gand's Lunch!" by Gale Gand and Christie Matheson


Recipe Introduction

"This fresh, easy chilled tomato soup is one of the first things I learned to make. It's what I served for my parents the first time they came to my place for dinner, when I was nineteen and away at art school, and I love that the recipe is still a favorite of mine today, more than thirty-five years later. The mix-ins listed below are merely suggestions—have fun playing around with whatever additions you like. I even topped this soup with popcorn once, when my college budget was tight!"

List of Ingredients

For the gazpacho:
â—¦ 3 medium tomatoes, chopped
â—¦ ½ seedless (English) cucumber, chopped
â—¦ 1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
â—¦ 4 cups chilled tomato juice
â—¦ ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
â—¦ 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
â—¦ 2 tablespoons chopped onion
â—¦ 1 teaspoon dried oregano
â—¦ ½ teaspoon salt
â—¦ 3 dashes Tabasco sauce
â—¦ 3 grinds black pepper

Mix-Ins:
â—¦ Cottage cheese
â—¦ Plain yogurt
â—¦ Sour cream
â—¦ Celery slices
â—¦ Cucumber cubes
â—¦ Diced yellow tomatoes
â—¦ Diced red peppers
â—¦ Croutons
â—¦ Snipped fresh chives
â—¦ Fresh cilantro leaves


Recipe

Combine the tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, 1 cup of the tomato juice, the olive oil, vinegar, onion, oregano, salt, Tabasco, and black pepper in a blender and blend on high until completely puréed. Pour the gazpacho into an airtight container, cover, and chill for 30 minutes.

While the soup chills, place your desired mix-ins in small bowls for serving (or containers for transporting, if the soup will be served at a picnic or packed for lunch).

Pour the chilled gazpacho into a pitcher (or a thermos, if transporting) and stir in the remaining 3 cups tomato juice. Fill soup bowls with gazpacho, leaving room for mix-ins. The gazpacho will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Serves 4 to 6