We’ve actually had a couple hot summer days, and I’m not complaining.
The kind where cooking and baking seem unappealing and you just want to sit on your porch and sip margaritas and beers. Or in my case, water and iced tea. And with produce at its absolute peak here, it’s almost overwhelming.
So how to use up all these perfectly ripe, unbelievably flavorful vegetables? Gazpacho is always a good option.
I typically don’t follow a strict recipe when it comes to gazpacho. This version, which was inspired by an article in the New York Times Magazine, has a little bit of a Mexican flair.
While the base is tomatoes, the soup is also filled with radishes, tortilla chips, and hot sauce. Then topped with queso fresco for good measure. Of course, depending on the color of your tomatoes you may end up with a completely different looking soup, but this doesn’t matter. I find that tomatoes just on the verge of being overripe work best, and we’ve had plenty of those lately.
It’s exactly what it’s intended to be: a hot day meal that tastes like summer.
- 1½ lb tomatoes, cut into large chunks
- 1 medium sized cucumber, peeled and cut into large chunks
- 5-6 radishes
- 2-3 garlic cloves
- 10 large tortilla chips
- juice from 1 lime
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup water
- salt and pepper to taste
- hot sauce to taste
- 1 tomato, chopped
- 1 small cucumber, chopped
- queso fresco or feta
- Working in batches, puree tomatoes, cucumber, radishes, garlic, tortilla chips, lime juice, vegetable oil, and water in a food processor or blender until smooth. Transfer to a large pot.
- Mix in salt, pepper, and hot sauce to taste.
- Garnish with chopped tomatoes, cucumbers, and cheese. Serve cold.
Recipe adapted from the New York Times Magazine.
Hey V, do you have a rec for a brand of DECENT queso fresco? I always end up using feta because the QF I have purchased is always rubbery. This soup looks awesome. BTW, I made the charred green beans and spicy aioli and it was another huge hit!
writes Spiro BolosShoot I don’t think I’ve ever paid attention to the brand, but stores like Whole Foods typically have a good option. I’ll have to look at what I buy next time. Feta works just fine in this soup though, so I don’t think you’d lose much!
Glad the green beans recipe worked, it’s one of my new favorites!
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