Gazpacho, with an optional kick

Gazpacho. They say today will be the hottest day in Istanbul this summer. 35 degrees Celsius, or almost 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Heat seems to usually kill my appetite, at least for fried stuff, or pastries, or any meat dishes. But there are also dishes that are best enjoyed in the heat, and can even make a hot summer day in the city a lot more pleasant.

Gazpacho is one of those dishes that is perfect on a steamy day--it's refreshing, healthy, and delicious! I was trying to describe it to friends who’ve never heard of gazpacho before and I said imagine the juice of a fresh salad with plump tomatoes, cucumbers, green peppers and slightly salty vinaigrette. I owe my love for Gazpacho to Suzan Bishop of Annapolis. I used to work for Suzan as a gardner and I learned how to make Gazpacho from her and her beloved husband Jeff. We enjoyed it after long hot summer days in Annapolis.

The recipe I want to share is a variation of Jose Andres’s recipe from from his book Tapas: A taste of Spain in America. He credits his wife Tichi for the recipe.

2 pounds, or a kilo of red tomatoes (I try to buy the tomatoes in advance and leave them on my counter, even a sunny spot, for a few days to allow them to fully ripen)
1 cucumber
1/5 green bell pepper (1 full pepper if you are in Europe ☺, American sized bell peppers are huge!)
1 hot pepper (could be a jalapeño, or a couple of the small Thai hot peppers)
1 garlic clove
2 table spoons sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar
¾ cups of extra virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons of salt

Most recipes call for peeling the tomatoes. I like the chewy texture of the soup and I leave them unpeeled. Cut and quarter the tomatoes, discarding their cores. Place them in the blender. Peel and chop the cucumber in a few large chunks, and add to the blender. Cut up the pepper in large pieces, peel and cut the garlic cloves into a few pieces. Blend all of it together until it almost reaches your preferred consistency. Then add the oil, vinegar and salt, and reblend to mix it all together.

It’s hard to wait for the next day to enjoy it, so pour your self a glass or a bowl. But I highly recommend chilling the rest in a non-reactive container (a glass pitcher for example) over night in your fridge. The taste is infinitely better after the flavors blend.

You can serve in small cups before a party, or in bowls or glass cups as a soup appetizer. Garnish with chives and with a little additional olive oil.