It’s August, and I’m posting a gazpacho recipe every week for the entire month! Gazpacho is soup and salad, both at the same time. This one is made with golden tomatoes, and it looks as good as it tastes.

Chief Cook-and-Bottle-Washer brought home a tray of golden, acid-free tomatoes one Friday, and I had my eye on them from the minute they entered the house. We ate a few on Friday night, and more on Saturday. Then I couldn’t resist, and I swooped in on Sunday morning to pulverize the rest! Chief C&BW said it was okay, he would go buy more. Thank you, Chief.

Then I made up this recipe in my Vitamix to share at a barbecue celebration. No exaggeration, it was the best gazpacho I ever made.

Somebody asked 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 sweetness is enhanced not with sugar but with red pepper and balsamic vinegar. Everything comes in pairs in this recipe: the tomato and the pepper, the garlic and the onion, the oil and the vinegar, the salt and the pepper. Alice Waters (The Art of Simple Food) would be so proud.

Note: you will need a high-speed blender to make this recipe.

Ingredients:
9 medium yellow tomatoes, quartered + 2 additional, chopped fine
1/2 red pepper, cored and seeded
2 medium cloves garlic, peeled
1 medium white onion, peeled and quartered
2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
2 tsp. balsamic vinegar
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper

Directions:
Set aside the two chopped tomatoes.

Add all the vegetables (except the chopped tomatoes) to the blender and spin on high for 30-45 seconds until smooth. Pour in the oil and vinegar, and salt and pepper, and blend again for 10 seconds more.

Remove to a pitcher, and stir in the chopped tomato. Chill in the refrigerator for a few hours to blend the flavors. Makes 8-10 cups. I poured them into stemmed wine glasses just for fun. Fancy barbecue.

Thank you, sun; thank you, rain; thank you, farmers; and thank you, Vitamix.