Gazpacho
| 4 | vine-ripened tomatoes, seeded |
|---|---|
| 1 | English cucumber, seeded |
| 1 | red bell pepper |
| ½ | green bell pepper, ¼-inch diced |
| 3 | basil leaves |
| 2 | garlic cloves |
| 1 | small onion |
| 1 tbsp. | aged balsamic vinegar |
| 1 tsp. | extra virgin olive oil |
| cold water to adjust consistency as needed | |
| to taste | sea salt and cracked black pepper |
Quarter and seed the tomatoes and cucumber. Set aside one quarter of one tomato and one quarter of the cucumber. Place remaining pieces into food processor or blender. Do the same with the red pepper.
Add garlic, basil, onion, balsamic vinegar and olive oil. Blend (using a food processor or a blender) until desired consistency is reached. If the mixture is too thick add cold water a small amount at a time.
Adjust seasoning to taste. Place in the refrigerator for 2-3 hours. This chilling process is very important as the blender can produce a lot of heat. Serve chilled.
Dice the remaining tomato, cucumber and green pepper and use as garnish. You can also garnish with a small amount of balsamic vinegar and olive oil.
