Summer produce. Tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, beans, herbs. We wait all year for these few weeks of produce at its prime and yet it’s a crazy time of year. So while I try to diligently meal plan most of the year, summer inevitably ends up being the time of year when more often than not we look around the garden each day to decide what to make.
This weekend we had friends visiting and their kids were really excited to help us harvest and sell produce at our farmstand, which was so much fun. Yet three days later, we still had a lot of produce on the table starting to lose its luster. So we went into processing mode – quick refrigerator pickles, frozen spinach, chokecherry syrup and stewed tomatoes. For dinner I decided to make a simple gazpacho using ingredients fresh from the garden. It’s easy to whip up in the morning and then place in the refrigerator for most of the day so the flavors can meld together. As an added bonus, it makes dinner prep so easy as all you have to do is pull the soup out and serve. I love that too.
Fresh, Simple Gazpacho
A quick, easy gazpacho using fresh ingredients from your garden or farmer's market. Make it in the morning or the night before to allow the flavors to meld together.
Ingredients
- 2 lbs Ripe tomatoes Cored
- 1 Poblano pepper Seeded
- 1 Cucumber Medium-sized, peeled
- 1 Onion White or red
- 1 clove Garlic
- 1 tsp Oregano Fresh
- 2 tsp Red wine vinegar
- 1 tsp Salt To taste
- 1/3 cup Olive oil Extra virgin
Instructions
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Roughly chop all vegetables and place into blender.
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Blend on high speed until thoroughly combined.
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While the blender is running, slowly add the vinegar, salt, oregano and olive oil until the texture is creamy.
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Chill in a large glass bowl or pitcher in the refrigerator for a few hours or even overnight.
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Before serving you may need to stir if it did not fully emulsify and adjust seasonings with salt and vinegar as necessary.
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Serve in bowls or glasses and enjoy!
