Quick & Easy Gazpacho

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Make this fresh, simple Spanish Gazpacho and pop it in the fridge, so it's nice and cold when you're ready to serve.

See the Zhuzh it up! section for a slight variation - let us know which is your favourite!

Prep Time: 20 min

Additional Time: 6 hr to overnight (chilling)

Cook time: n/a

Servings: 8-10

Ingredients

• About 2 lbs ripe red tomatoes, cored and roughly cut into chunks

• 1 long, light green pepper, such as Anaheim, cored, seeded and roughly cut into chunks

• 1 cucumber, about 8 inches long, peeled and roughly cut into chunks

• 1 clove garlic

• 2 tsp sherry vinegar, more to taste (apple cider vinegar will also do)

• Salt to taste

• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, more to taste, plus more for drizzling

Directions

1. Combine tomatoes, pepper, cucumber and garlic in a blender (if necessary, work in batches.) Blend at high speed until very smooth, at least 2 min, pausing occasionally to scrape down the sides with a rubber spatula.

2. With the motor running, drizzle in the vinegar and 2 tsp salt. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil. The mixture will become smooth and emulsified, like a salad dressing. If it still seems watery, drizzle in more olive oil until texture is creamy.

3. Strain the mixture, pushing all the liquid through with a spatula or the back of a spoon. Discard the solids. Transfer to a large pitcher (preferably glass) and chill until very cold, at least 6 hrs or overnight.

4. Before serving, adjust the seasonings with salt and vinegar. If soup is very thick, stir in a few tablespoons ice water. Serve in glasses, over ice if desired, or in a bowl. A few drops of olive oil on top are a nice touch.

Zhuzh it up!

• Some say a traditional Gazpacho includes bread to make it creamier. We've tried it both ways. To make it this way, sprinkle a tsp or two of vinegar on a couple of slices of French bread to soften it slightly (just the inside, not the crust). Let it sit a few minutes and then add it in the blender with the rest of your ingredients.

• If you choose to eat your Gazpacho in a bowl with a spoon, try topping it with diced tomatoes, avocado, or cucumber. A drizzle of the juice from your salted lemons jar is also delicious!

This recipe was adapted from Best Gazpacho, written by Julia Moskin. Find it on cooking.nytimes.com