Gazpacho: The Ultimate Refreshment!

1. Prepare a bowl with ice water.

2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Cut crosses into the bottom of the tomatoes with a sharp knife, and blanch tomatoes in the boiling water for 1 to 2 minutes until the skin begins to come off. Remove tomatoes with a slotted spoon and immediately immerse in the ice water.

3. Remove skin from the tomatoes and cut out the seeds over a bowl (so that no juice is lost); discard the seeds.

4. If the cucumber is organic, leave the peel on; otherwise peel it. Remove seeds of cucumber and roughly chop.

5. Combine tomatoes, cucumber, onion, garlic, and red wine vinegar in a food processor or blender; blend until gazpacho has desired consistency, either coarsely chopped or finely pureed. Slowly add olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Puree again briefly.

6. Refrigerate gazpacho until cold, at least 1 hour. Remove from the fridge at least 30 minutes before serving.

Cook’s Note:

Use very ripe tomatoes, ideally from your garden or a farmers’ market.