Not Too Garlicky Gazpacho Recipe

My best friend Whitney and I took a trip to Spain with her sister Liz a few years back and one of things I remember most about the trip is the food. We sipped mojitos and sangria and noshed on tapas, paella, and especially gazpacho. When Whit and I first moved to Boston, we decided to recreate gazpacho at home. We were not very experienced in the kitchen and found an easy recipe, using fresh vegetables, that seemed super simple.

The recipe called for 1 garlic clove amongst the other ingredients. Slight problem though. We actually didn’t even know the difference between a bulb and clove. You can only imagine what happened next. Yup. We popped open each and every little clove off the bulb and put it into our blender, with the tomatoes and cucumbers and other items on the recipe. Then put our completed gazpacho in the refrigerator to marinate the flavors together. Later in the day, we sat down to eat our masterpiece and reminisce about Spain, only to take one bite of the absolutely wretched garlicky concoction and looked at each other in disgust.

Needless to say we were completely turned off from gazpacho for a very long time. I am talking years people.  And we couldn’t get the freakin garlic taste out of our mouths for days after that dining disaster. It was that gross. And we felt pretty darn stupid to boot. So today the weather is about 80 degrees and thankfully the trauma has finally worn off after all this time and I am a bit more experienced in the kitchen. So,  I offer you up a not too garlicky version of chunky gazpacho, perfect for warm weather ahead! Many people blend or process their gazpacho, which you can definitely do, keep in mind, but I kept mine thicker. Check it out below:

Not Too Garlicky Gazpacho Recipe

2 servings

Ingredients:

1 can tomato juice (11.5 FL oz)

2 plum tomatoes, cored, diced, top and bottom removed

½ cucumber, quartered, seeded, diced, top/bottom removed

1 red pepper, cored, seeded, diced/chopped, top/bottom removed

¼ large red onion (or ½ small), peeled/diced, top/bottom removed

1 fresh garlic clove, peeled, minced (1/2 tsp jar)

1 tbsp white vinegar

1 tbsp EVOO

2 tbsp sliced jalapeno peppers

2 tbsp sour cream

2 tsp chopped fresh basil

Sea salt & Black pepper to taste

Directions:

Wash, core, seed, and chop all the veggies (tomatoes, peppers, onions, cukes) noted above and put in a tupper ware or bowl that has a secure top.

How pretty is this pepper? Like flowers or stars or something.

Mince and stir in the garlic.

Next pour in your tomato juice, followed by the oil and vinegar.

Grind in sea salt and black pepper to taste before securing the top of your Tupperware or bowl and putting it in the refrigerator for at least an hour, if not more.

Once the flavors have melded and it is cold, serve with your favorite crusty bread, pita, chips or crackers.

Top each of the two portions with 1 tablespoon of sour cream, 1 teaspoon of chopped basil, and 1 tablespoon of sliced jalapeno peppers.

Sprinkle on additional salt and pepper to taste and enjoy this chilled tomato and vegetable soup on a warm day, when cooking is not an ideal option.

**Inspired by Gazpacho – The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook, Ina Garten ‘99