Ingredients:
- About 2 pounds vine ripe red organic tomatoes, cored and roughly cut into chunks
- 1 large red bell pepper or green seeded and roughly cut into chunks (2 cups)
- 1 cucumber, about 8 inches long, peeled and roughly cut into chunks (2 cups)
- 1 small mild onion (white or red), peeled and roughly cut into chunks (1 cup)
- 1 clove garlic
- 2-3 teaspoons sherry vinegar, more to taste
- Salt
- ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil, more to taste, plus more for jalapeño basil oil ( ¼ cup extra)
- 1cup fresh basil leaves and a few for garnish
- 1-2 Tbsp. jalapeno pepper (2 inch piece)
Preparation:
- Combine tomatoes, pepper, cucumber, onion and garlic in a high speed blender (if necessary, work in batches.) Blend at high speed until very smooth, at least 2 minutes, pausing occasionally to scrape down the sides with a rubber spatula.
- With the motor running, add the vinegar and 2 teaspoons salt. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil. The mixture will turn bright orange or dark pink and become smooth and emulsified, like a salad dressing. If it still seems watery, drizzle in more olive oil until texture is creamy.
- Strain the mixture through a strainer or a food mill, pushing all the liquid through with a spatula or the back of a ladle. Discard the solids. Transfer to a large pitcher (preferably glass) and chill until very cold, at least 6 hours or overnight.
- Before serving, adjust the seasonings with salt and vinegar. If soup is very thick, stir in a few tablespoons of ice water. Serve in glasses, over ice if desired. A few drops of puréed basil and olive oil on top is a nice touch. I like adding a bit of jalapeño pepper to give it a bit of a kick.
- Rinse out blender add the basil, ¼ cup of olive oil or more if needed, jalapeño pepper, a pinch of salt and lime juice. Blend on high speed; scrape side down and place in a container, and drizzle over gazpacho just before serving. Will store in airtight container for 2 weeks.