Freshly picked vegetables make delicious Gazpacho. Fortunately, they are bountiful at all local Farmer’s Markets in New England during the summer. Where I live, on Wednesday, local farmers bring their beautiful wares to our town green. I loaded up my market basket and then made this absolutely fabulous Gazpacho.

Gazpacho is so easy to make; it is slightly labor-intensive, peeling and chopping all the ingredients, yet it is worth the effort. I make a large batch, which keeps the soup going for a few days. Or I can make it for a summer party. It is perfect for summer celebrations. The soup flavor intensifies as it chills overnight and is better on the second and third days.

I top it with croutons and corn.  

Ingredients

• 6 ripe tomatoes (about 3 pounds), peeled and chopped (about 6 cups)
• 1 red onion, finely chopped
• 1 cucumber, peeled, seeded, chopped
• 1 red or green bell pepper, chopped
• 2 ribs of celery, chopped
• 2 cups cooked corn, reserve 1/4 cup 
• 1 to 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 cups low salt V-8 juice
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• 6 or more drops of Tabasco sauce to taste
•         croutons

Place all ingredients in a large bowl. Use an immersion blender or blender in batches to the desired smoothness.

Season and chill:

Adjust the seasonings to taste with more salt, pepper, or Tabasco.

Place in a non-reactive container (tomatoes are acidic) to store. I place the Gazpacho in a large glass bowl, which I use to serve the soup. Chill for several hours or overnight to allow the flavors to blend.

Top with reserved corn and croutons.

Enjoy!