Mo’ Soup for You! No-Blanch Gazpacho
Recipe by Michele Vieux
Summer is here and to me, that means not turning on the oven or stove since I don’t want my house to turn into an oven itself. I also love me some soup, which doesn’t normally scream “summer” unless it is a deliciously fresh and chilled gazpacho – a chilled, tomato soup that comes from the region in Southern Spain called Andalusia. They also enjoy it frequently in Portugal, but it’s spelled a little different there – gaspacho. Either way, it is simple to make, delicious, and easy to take on the road or in your lunch since it requires no reheating and no utensils if you drink it down as quickly as I do.
Here’s the recipe I came up with. Technically, you should blanch fresh tomatoes then peel and seed them but, like I said, I don’t like to use my gas appliances during the hot months of the year and this version is much easier, so even novice cooks can accomplish it with no worries. Usually, this recipe would contain more basil or oregano but I like mint and I have a bush trying to take over my yard right now, so that’s what I used. Get creative with your ingredients and use what is seasonal and available to you.
No-Blanch Gazpacho
Ingredients
- 1, 26 ounce box of diced Pomi Tomatoes (or any other kind you can find in a box to avoid BPAs)
- 1, English Cucumber, rough chopped (if you use a regular cucumber, peel and seed it)
- ¼ Red Onion, rough chopped
- 2-4 cloves Garlic, smashed with knife
- ½-1 Jalapeno, rough chopped
- 2 Tablespoons, Savory Spice Shop Mt. Olympus Greek Seasoning (if you don’t have this, get some! Or, substitute juice from ½ lemon or lime, ½-1 teaspoon dried oreagno powder and ½ teaspoon dried mint)
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- 2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- Salt & Pepper
Garnishes (optional but highly recommended)
- Cucumber, finely diced
- Red Onion, finely diced
- Fresh Mint, chiffonaded
- Avocado, diced
Directions
Throw all the ingredients in to your food processor and blend until smooth. Top with any of the garnishes you like, especially if you prefer a chunkier soup. For a full meal, add chicken or shrimp.
I added some leftover curry chicken salad, which made a lovely meal with the contrast between the spicy curry in the chicken and the cool mint in the soup!