Spicy Herbed Summer Gazpacho

Total Time: 25 mins Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 10 mins

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 3/4 cup finely diced red onion
• 3/4 cup finely diced red bell pepper
• 3/4 cup finely diced green bell pepper
• 3 large garlic cloves, minced
• 2 cups organic tomato juice
• 2 cups reduced-sodium spicy vegetable juice
• 1 cup reduced-sodium clamato juice
• 1 cup organic chicken broth or 1 cup vegetable broth
• 3 tablespoons snipped fresh parsley or 1 tablespoon dried parsley
• 3 tablespoons snipped fresh basil or 1 tablespoon dried basil
• 3 tablespoons snipped fresh chives or 1 tablespoon dried chives
• kosher sea salt & freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cups seeded diced fresh tomatoes
• 1 english cucumber, peeled, sliced thin, then diced (about 1 1/2 cups)

Recipe

• 1 one day ahead:.
• 2 place olive oil in a 5-quart saucepan over medium heat.
• 3 when oil is hot, add onions, red and green peppers and garlic. saute until soft, about 7 minutes.
• 4 add tomato juice, v-8 juice, clamato juice, chicken broth, parsley, basil and chives.
• 5 season with salt and pepper to taste.
• 6 raise heat to high and bring mixture to boil.
• 7 immediately remove from heat and add tomatoes and cucumber.
• 8 stir to combine.
• 9 transfer soup to a covered container and refrigerate overnight to marry flavors.
• 10 to serve:.
• 11 transfer soup to individual bowls.
• 12 serve soup cold with sides of bread, cheese, croutons, or crackers.
• 13 note: the secret to a good gazpacho is the harmonious marriage of flavors. this soup is best at peak harvest season, when vine-ripened tomatoes, peppers, and cucumbers are available.