Gazpacho

A cold bowl of gazpacho on a hot summer day is one of my favorite meals. I love running to the farmers market to get the most flavorful produce and whipping this up to enjoy for the week. I like to serve it with grilled salmon or shrimp for an al fresco meal.

Ingredients

1 English cucumber chopped

3 medium tomatoes chopped

1 bell pepper chopped (orange, yellow, or red)

½ red onion chopped

2 medium cloves of garlic minced

1 cup tomato juice

¼ cup fresh basil, plus more for garnish

1 tablespoon capers

2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for drizzle

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1 ½ teaspoon salt

freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Add all ingredients to a blender and pulse until desired consistency. I like mine slightly chunky, not puréed. Chill in the refrigerator until you are ready to serve. This tastes even better the next day once the flavors have melded. 

Garnish with fresh basil and a drizzle of olive oil.

Serves 4-6