You can think of gazpacho as soup and salad, both, at the same time. It will make a great first course at a nice dinner, but you can also take it to work for lunch (maybe with Mary’s Gone Crackers or a slice of toasted whole-grain bread). It would also make a scrumptiously satisfying mid-afternoon snack.

After my husband arrived home one time with a large tray of golden, acid-free tomatoes, I had my eye on those beauties from that instant on. We ate a few on Friday night, and a few more on Saturday. Then, I could no longer resist, so I swooped in on Sunday morning to pulverize the rest in my Vitamix! My husband said it was okay because he wanted to go buy more anyway. And he did.

I actually made this recipe to share at a barbecue and, no exaggeration, it was the best gazpacho I have ever made. Somebody was asking me for a gazpacho recipe the other day: If you’re reading this, use this one (with whatever tomatoes you have)! I love how simple it is. And I love that the tomato-ey sweetness is enhanced not with sugar but with red pepper and balsamic vinegar. Everything in this recipe comes in pairs: tomatoes and peppers, garlic and onion, oil and vinegar, salt and pepper. Alice Waters (The Art of Simple Food) would be so proud.

Ingredients:

9 medium golden-yellow tomatoes, quartered
2 additional golden-yellow tomatoes, chopped fine
1/2 red pepper, cored and seeded
2 medium cloves garlic, peeled
1 medium white onion, peeled and quartered
2 tablespoons olive oil (extra-virgin)
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Directions:

Set aside the two chopped tomatoes.

Add the remaining tomatoes, red pepper, onions and garlic to the blender, and blend on high 30-45 seconds until smooth. Pour in the olive oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper, and blend again for 10 seconds more.

Pour the soup into a pitcher or large glass jar, stir in the chopped tomato, and leave to chill in the refrigerator for a few hours to blend the flavors. 

Note: You are going to need a high-speed blender to make this recipe. A regular one won’t work because it isn’t strong enough to pulverize everything. There are a number of good high-speed blenders, like Vitamix or Blendtec, and you should feel good about getting a refurbished one, too. A friend of mine got a refurbished one and it lasted more than 15 years.

Finally, a homegrown gazpacho prayer: thank you sun, thank you rain, thank you farmers and, of course, thank you Vitamix.

Serves 8-10.