Roasted Peppers and Tomato Gazpacho

I hope everyone had a wonderful Memorial Day Weekend; things in Texas are little gruesome lately due to non-stop rain and flooding in many areas. Stay safe friends and follow the weather advisory. Instead of a sunny, gorgeous day by the lake and bbq festivities, I stayed home for the most-part, dreamed about summer, going to the farmers market and making different variations of gazpacho. I am having a little bit of a writer’s block so please bear with me.

This is a food blog so I don’t want to keep talking about the Nepal’s Earthquake over and over again but to be honest, my mind is occupied with that right now. Instead, let’s go straight to the recipe for roasted peppers and tomato gazpacho – it has all the components of a classic gazpacho , then we add layers of flavor with roasted bell peppers + jalapeno for some heat if you are into it.

If you have never entertained the idea of a cold soup, I suggest you dive right in because gazpacho is super refreshing, delicious, and love that there is absolutely no cooking involved.While bell peppers are roasting in the oven, gather your ingredients ready (mis en place) as it makes the overall process so much simpler. Bell peppers takes about 35-40  minutes in the oven (check out different ways to roast peppers) and we put everything in the blender, season gazpacho to our taste and enjoy!

Cooks note: Allowing the roasted peppers to cool down in the oven (turned off) or sealing roasted peppers inside a zip lock bag for a few minutes will trap steam and make the peeling process very easy.Roasted peppers and tomato gazpacho can be eaten as an appetizer or a light lunch, regardless make a big batch and let it chill in the refrigerator for a few hours before serving. I suggest you use my recipe as a rough guide and taste gazpacho as you go because the type of tomatoes, sweetness of the pepper, amount of jalapeno etc can change the flavor profile of gazpacho. After all, it’s your gazpacho make it however your heart desires. Serve it with chopped cilantro, sliced avocados, or feta cheese.

Roasted Peppers and Tomato Gazpacho

Serves: 3-5

Ingredients

• 6 hot house tomatoes, chopped

• 1 medium cucumber, sliced or chopped

• 3 roasted peppers (red, orange), peeled

• 1/2 jalapeno chopped (use per taste)

• 1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped

• 4 garlic cloves

• 1/2 cup olive oil

• about 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar (start with 1/4 cup and add as your go)

• salt, pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 450F.

2. Line baking sheet with foil and arrange peppers on it. Drizzle olive oil over it and let it roast for 35-40 minutes until the skins are charred and wrinkled.

3. Allow it to cool for 15-20 minutes and remove the stems, skin, and scoop out the seeds. Slice the roasted peppers and discard the remaining juices.

4. In a blender add, tomatoes, roasted peppers, cucumber, garlic, cilantro, jalapeno, olive oil, and 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar. I like mine pureed but I have seen some people leave it roughly chopped.

5. Puree it into smooth consistency, add more vinegar and jalapeno if needed. Season with salt and pepper.

6. Let it chill before serving.

How was your weekend?

What is the weather like around you?