I’m not sure if there is a “right” or “wrong” way to this food blogging business, but this is often how I start: I make a weekly meal plan, look at what is available at the farmer’s markets & grocery store, and then brainstorm a new recipe, crack open a cookbook, or Pinterest my way to a plan. For the most part, I have usually jotted down all the blog ideas a month ahead of time, with a little flexibility if something strikes my fancy. When I saw this article from the New York Times on Twitter, my first planned post for the month was blown out of the water – a gazpacho recipe for every taste and color! Green, red, classic, fruity; they were calling me with all their fresh veggie goodness!

I decided to go with the ‘Classic Gazpacho”, and it was delicious! Simple to make, and even easier to eat, this cold soup is perfect as a starter or light lunch. Tangy tomatoes plus cool cucumber and bright yellow pepper. A little bread, olive oil, and red wine vinegar are blended in and that’s it. Seriously! Although there are many variations (quite a few of which are included in the article itself!), the classic is a must-try!

Classic Gazpacho

directions slightly modified from the original NYT Magazine article, Gazpacho: Not Hot and Not a Bother, by Mark Bittman.

makes 6 generous servings

2 pounds ripe red tomatoes

1 medium cucumber, peeled

1/2 yellow bell pepper

1 cup water

1/4 cup olive oil + more for garnish

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

1 garlic clove, peeled

2 slices hearty bread, crusts removed

salt & pepper to taste

scallion for garnish

Wash and dry all of your produce.

Peel the cucumber and chop into thirds. Reserve 1/3 for garnish and place the other portions in a large bowl.

Stem the tomatoes and reserve 1 tomato for garnish. Cut the remaining tomatoes into quarters and place into a large bowl with the cucumbers.

Stem and seed the 1/2 yellow pepper and cut into thirds. Reserve 1/3 for garnish while placing the remaining portions with the tomatoes & cucumbers.

Place the cut vegetables into the bowl of a large food processor (you may have to do this in stages if you have a smaller food processor or blender) with the cup of water, bread, garlic clove, olive oil, and red wine vinegar. Add a generous pinch of kosher salt and a few grinds of fresh pepper.

Pulse the food processor to start and then blend full tilt until smooth. If working in stages, try to achieve an even consistency with each batch.

Once the mixture is smooth, adjust salt and pepper to taste. Pour into a large bowl to serve immediately, or cover and chill. I let mine sit for 45 minutes in the fridge and it was perfect!

To Plate:

Dice the reserved veggies & scallion into 1/2 inch pieces and place into a small bowl. Gently toss to mix.

Pour the chilled soup into several serving bowls and garnish with the chopped vegetables and a swirl of olive oil.

Or, you can plate as I did and place the vegetables into the serving bowls before pouring the soup and then swirl the soup around them.

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