Summer Fresh Gazpacho

I’ve been inspired by some amazing bowls of gazpacho this summer. During a trip to Milwaukee my boyfriend and I stopped for a light lunch and coffee at Alterra by the Lake Michigan marina and it was the first time we ever tried this chilled soup. After a visit to the Philadelphia Museum of Art’s current Renoir exhibit, we stopped at Frog Burger for corn on the cob, garlic fries, and a bowl of our new favorite soup. Somehow it’s just the perfect thing to enjoy in the shade on a beautiful late summer day.

So I’ve been experimenting. Here’s my favorite combination of these beautiful ingredients which I’ll be serving up for dinner tonight with some nice fresh bread.

Ingredients:

5 cups garden fresh beefsteak and roma tomatoes, skinned and roughly chopped
1 medium cucumber, peeled, deseeded, and diced
3 celery heart stalks, diced
2 large red bell peppers, deseeded and diced
1 small red onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, crushed
¼ cup white vinegar
3 cups tomato juice
10 drops tobacso
1 small bunch fresh parsley, chopped
1 small bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
1 small bunch fresh basil, chopped
Olive oil, drizzled liberally
Salt and pepper to taste

To Prepare:

1. Combine the ingredients in a large bowl, tasting as you go.
2. Chill for at least four hours to allow the flavors to come together. The longer it sits, the better!
3. Serve in chilled crocks. Eat outdoors.