Many people think of gazpacho as a red tomato-based soup, but I like this yellow tomato version, which I first found in the August/September 1997 issue of Fine Cooking magazine.
I recently served this at a mother-daughter luncheon, where the hostess was introducing her future daughter-in-law to friends and family. The party was for 25, so I doubled the recipe below and served the soup in bouillon cups. The rest of the menu included crab salad, fresh fruit, and a selection of breads from the Essential Baking Company (Fremont Sour White, Mille Grane and Raisin Pecan).
The recipe below makes about 9 cups. For cocktail parties, I’ve served smaller portions in shot glasses (so guests can sip and forego the spoons), and at home I sometimes serve it in ramekins.
The temperature in Seattle is right around 80 degrees as I type this, and it’s expected to be in the high 70s all weekend, which sounds like perfect cold-soup weather!
Yellow Tomato Gazpacho
Makes about 9 cups
3.5 pounds ripe yellow tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped
Note: I use heirloom tomatoes, which are available at most farmers markets and specialty grocery stores.
1 yellow bell pepper, cored, seeded, and coarsely chopped
1 red onion, coarsely chopped
1 cucumber, peeled, seeded, and chopped
1/4 cup white-wine vinegar
3 large cloves garlic, finely chopped
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 slice stale bread, crust removed, soaked in water and squeezed dry
Note: I have substituted gluten-free bread for my celiac and gluten-intolerant clients and it works just fine.
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Garnish
1/4 cup peeled, seeded, and chopped cucumber
1/4 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered (use a mix of colors)
1/4 cup diced red onion
In a bowl, mix the tomatoes, yellow pepper, onion, cucumber, vinegar, garlic, olive oil, and bread. Purée the mixture in batches in a blender on high speed until very smooth (about 3 minutes). Stir in 2.5 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.
Refrigerate until well chilled, at least 1 hour. Taste, and add more salt and pepper as needed.
To serve, ladle the chilled soup into the serving bowls (it helps if these are chilled) and garnish with cucumber, tomatoes, and red onion.
Tina’s Tip: Chilling the bowls helps keep the soup cool and refreshing longer. The soup can be made up to a day ahead and stored in the refrigerator.
Recipe adapted from Fine Cooking magazine.
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