Another cold soup for our warm weather, this is the classic one, originating from southern Spain and mentioned in ancient Greek and Roman literature.
Tomatoes didn’t arrive from the New World until the 16th century, but we’re so glad they were added given the wealth of the antioxidant lycopene they bring to the table!
- 1 1/2 lbs Vine-ripened tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped
- 1 cup Juice from tomatoes and bottle
- 1 cup Cucumber, peeled, seeded and chopped
- 1/2 cup Red bell pepper, chopped
- 1/2 cup Red onion, chopped
- 1 sm Jalapeno, seeded and minced
- 1 med Garlic clove, minced
- 1/4 cup Extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 Lime, juiced
- 2 tsp Balsamic vinegar
- 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 tsp Cumin, toasted, ground
- 1 tsp Kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp Black pepper, freshly ground
- tbs Basil leaves to top soup, fresh
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Fill a 6-quart pot halfway full of water, set over high heat and bring to a boil.
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Make an X with a paring knife on the bottom of the tomatoes. Drop tomatoes into the boiling water for 15 seconds, remove and transfer to an ice bath and allow to cool until able to handle, approximately 1 minute. Remove and pat dry.
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Peel, core and seed the tomatoes. For seeding, place the seeds and pulp into a fine mesh strainer set over a bowl to catch juice. Press as much of the juice through as possible and then add enough bottled tomato juice to bring the total to 1 cup.
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Place the tomatoes and juice into a large mixing bowl. Add the cucumber, bell pepper, red onion, jalapeno, garlic clove, olive oil, lime juice, balsamic vinegar, Worcestershire, cumin, salt and pepper, and stir to combine.
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Transfer 1 1/2 cups of the mixture to a blender and puree for 15-20 seconds on high speed. Return mixture to the bowl and stir to combine. Cover and chill for 2 hours or up to overnight.
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Serve with chiffonade (thinly sliced strips) of basil.
Serves 4 | Prep Time 45 min