Spicy Cucumber Gazpacho

Ingredients

2 garlic cloves, peeled

3 cucumbers, diced

4 roma tomatoes, diced

1 red bell pepper, diced

1/2 red onion, diced

3 green onions, diced white and green parts (keep 1 tbsp for garnish)

2 jalapenos, minced**

1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

juice from 1/2 lemon

1/4 cup mint leaves, chopped

1/4 cup italian parsley, chopped

1/4 cup basil, chopped

sea salt

black pepper

dried red pepper flakes

Preparation

Place garlic cloves in blender or food processor and blitz until pulverized.

Add 1/2 of cucumbers, tomatoes, bell pepper, red onion, green onion and jalapenos to garlic. Add 1/2 cup olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice, pinch each salt, pepper and red pepper flakes to vegetables and pulse until liquefied. Pour into large bowl.

Add remaining vegetables, 2 tbsp olive oil and herbs to blender or processor. Pulse 3-4 times. You want to just break up the vegetables a bit while keeping some texture.

Pour the vegetables into the bowl with the liquefied ingredients. Stir to combine.

Chill in refrigerator until very cold, 4 hours or more. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary.* serve with a drizzle of best quality extra virgin olive oil, a sprinkle of green onions and a pinch of fresh herbs on top.

* Don't adjust seasonings until after the soup has chilled. The ingredients will meld together and the taste will change from the unchilled version.

** Here is where you determine the spiciness factor. If you like it really hot, do not seed or devein the jalapenos. If you want a mild version, seed, devein and use only 1 jalapeno. For in-between, try somewhere in the middle.

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About

When summer produce is at its peak, and the days are wickedly hot, nothing beats gazpacho. Gazpacho is a cold soup that originated in Southern Spain. Originally made with bread, water, vinegar, oil and salt; fresh, raw vegetables are now the main ingredients.

I make gazpacho all summer and rotate between a recipe featuring tomatoes and today's version with cucumbers in the starring role. I rarely add bread...but vinegar, oil and salt remain from the ancient tradition. Gazpacho is one of those dishes that can be totally customized to your taste. If you have never made it before try my recipe first and then change it up depending on what is in season in your area. The soup's texture is another area where you can tweak to your liking. My version calls for pureeing half the vegetables and keeping the rest diced. You can puree it all for a smoother soup. Totally to your preference. The only "rule" is to ensure you follow the chilling directions. The soup improves tremendously after allowing the flavors to meld. My trick is to make it early in the morning so that when it is time for dinner I just slice some excellent french or sourdough bread, dish up the soup and (maybe put out a few hunks of delicious cheese) dinner is served.