Serves 2 to 4
“In the summer I make a lot of cold soups with vegetables from my garden. When I get a lot of cucumbers and tomatoes, I blend them together to make this gazpacho. If you want it to be very smooth, you can pass it through a fine strainer. Adding the yogurt changes it to a creamy soup and serving it with shredded basil and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil elevates it to an elegant first course.” —Jacques Pépin
Ingredients:
2 cups diced cucumber, peeled, seeded and cut into 1-inch dice
1 large ripe tomato
1/3 cup diced mild onion
1 tablespoon coarsely chopped jalapeño
1 teaspoon salt
Dash of Tabasco, optional
1 tablespoon unseasoned rice wine vinegar
½ cup water
1½ cups Greek yogurt
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup basil leaves, shredded, for garnish
Extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling
Method:
Cut the tomato in half, horizontally and squeeze out the seeds into a small bowl, chop the tomato flesh into small pieces, you should have about 2 cups. Place the tomato, onion, jalapeno, and water in a blender and blend until smooth. Add the cucumber, salt, Tabasco, and vinegar, and blend. Add the yogurt and oil and blend until smooth or to your liking. If you want a very smooth soup, strain it through a fine strainer at this point. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for up to 8 hours or pour into 4 chilled bowls. Top with the basil leaves and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.