Grilled Veggie Gazpacho

Adapted from Cooking Light

Chef’s Notes: The only reason I get an occasional craving for Mexican Food restaurants is for two reasons: chips & salsa. This summertime soup is kind of like eating a brimming bowl of salsa. This was not a problem for me! Thank goodness for our recent grill-pan purchase, seeing as it would have been miserable grilling outside tonight. AND we would have probably lost the tomatoes through the grate.

Plan of Attack:

1. Grill baguette

2. Blister peppers

3. Grill onion/tomatoes

4. Blend

Ingredients for 2:

1/8 C olive oil, divided

1 oz baguette, thinly sliced

1 ½ large red tomatoes, cored and cut in half crosswise

½ onion, sliced ¼” thick

1 red bell pepper

1 jalapeno pepper

1/3 C water

2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped

Large pinch of salt

Black pepper to taste

Toppings-

Fresh cilantro

Sliced cucumber

Green onion

Instructions:

1. Heat grill-pan (or grill) to medium-high heat
2. Sprinkle both sides of baguette with olive oil, grill for 1-2 minutes on each side; set aside
3. Grill whole peppers for about 10-12 minutes, turning occasionally to blacken on all sides; remove from grill, place in paper bag, fold down top and allow to sit for 10-15 minutes (while you grill onion/tomato).
4. Brush onion with olive oil and grill for 10 minutes, turning once.
5. While onions grill, into a blender add toasted baguette, garlic, salt, pepper & water
6. Add onions once grilled to blender then brush cut sides of tomatoes with olive oil and grill cut-side-down for 10 minutes.
7. While tomatoes grill, remove peppers from paper bag and peel off their outer skins. Remove the seeds, roughly chop and add to blender.
8. Once tomatoes are grilled, add to the blender a few at a time and blend until smooth.
9. Top with cilantro, cucumber & green onion
10. Enjoy!

Food for Life,

the SupperSmiths, forging one meal at a time