Roasted Pepper Gazpacho

This Roasted Pepper Gazpacho is so spicy and fresh, and is the perfect first course for a summer dinner party.

This Roasted Pepper Gazpacho will make you fall in love with cold soup.

This soup has a slight kick from the roasted Anaheim chili, as well as umami from the sherry vinegar. The first time I tasted it, even before I let the flavors meld in the refrigerator, I knew this soup would be delicious.

If you'd like the color to be a brighter red, you could use a red bell pepper instead of a green one, but the flavor will be sweeter.

Use the freshest, ripest tomatoes you can find. I used a large home grown tomato given to me by a colleague at work, and supplemented it with some large home grown cherry tomatoes given to me by my cousin. Sometimes, when I don't have access to farm fresh tomatoes, I will use grape tomatoes for gazpacho because they are brighter and more flavorful than full sized tomatoes.

This gazpacho is wonderful with ciabatta or a sandwich for lunch or as a first course for dinner (no salad needed). It would also make a fabulous appetizer served in pretty shot glasses or mini parfait glasses.

Soup Saturday Swappers is a group of friends who get together on the third Saturday of each month to share their favorite soup and stew recipes, based on a theme chosen by one of the members. To join Soup Saturday Swappers just email our group leader at wendyklik1517@gmail.com. This month's Soup Saturday theme is Chilled Soups hosted by The Saucy Southerner. After the recipe, be sure to check out the rest of the amazing recipes.

Roasted Pepper Gazpacho Recipe

Ingredients

• 1/2 large (80 grams) green bell pepper
• 1 medium (85 grams) Anaheim chili pepper, cut in half
• 2 1/4 pounds ripe tomatoes, cored and quartered. If you use cherry tomatoes, just cut them in half.
• 1 medium (300 grams) cucumber, peeled, seeds removed, and chopped
• 2 medium garlic cloves, peeled
• 2/3 cup (36 grams) plain bread crumbs
• 1 tablespoon sherry or red wine vinegar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons (10 grams) salt (I used fine sea salt)
• Basil leaves, julienned, for garnish

Instructions

1. Line a baking sheet with foil and spray with spray oil. Place the bell pepper and chili halves, cut side down, on the foil, and broil until blackened. Peel and seed the pepper and chili, and chop into pieces.
2. Place the tomatoes into a large food processor and pulse a few times until pureed. Strain the tomato mixture through a mesh strainer, extracting as much puree as possible. Toss out the remaining solids. Return the tomato puree to the food processor.
3. Add the rest of the ingredients except the basil, and process until smooth. Taste, and add more vinegar, and/or salt to taste. I did not add any more.
4. Chill the mixture for at least three hours, or overnight. Serve with the basil leaves.

Yield: 4 to 6 servings
Recipe adapted from My Pizza: The Easy No-Knead Way to Make Spectacular Pizza at Home

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