Gazpacho time!

Summer Gazpacho.

Heirloom tomatoes have now hit the farmers markets and it is time to celebrate!! If you grow your own you might often find yourself with an over-abundance, which is the perfect time to make gazpacho. This is a Californian take (my recipe) on a traditional Spanish chilled soup. Key ingredients are Grove Provisions extra virgin olive oils (any one of the 4 will do) and Coastal Kick vinegar.

It is important to process each of the ingredients separately and then combine them in a large bowl at the end – process the cucumber, then the peppers, etc. Each should still have a little chunk and not too fine a chop as you want the soup to be somewhat “toothsome”. This recipe makes 6-8 servings.

1 cucumber, seeded not peeled, chopped

2 red peppers – or 1 red and one orange or yellow, chopped

4 good size heirloom tomatoes (a few different varieties), chopped

1 red onion, chopped

3-4 good size garlic cloves, minced in a press or micro planed

3 cups tomato juice (I use 1.5 tomato and 1.5 Clamato)

1/3 C Coastal Kick vinegar

1/3 C EVOO – I like The Meld, but any GP olive oil will work

½ T kosher salt – Diamond Crystal if you have it

1 tsp freshly ground pepper.

Using a food processor, separately process each of the 4 vegetables and add to a large bowl as you finish each one. Add the juice, garlic, vinegar, S&P and olive oil. Stir, taste for seasoning and add a bit more salt if necessary. Cover and chill 6 hours or even better overnight. Drizzle a little olive oil on top of each bowl just before serving. Serve with a good fresh bread!