Tomato Gazpacho

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We ate this sitting out on the deck with Leonard, overlooking the hills of Saratoga as the sun went down one hot summery night.

• 2 pounds good red tomatoes
• 1 yellow bell pepper
• 1 large cucumber
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1/2 medium white onion
• 1 stalk celery
• 1 tbs. fresh tarragon, chopped
• 2 tbs. red wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 tsp. Tabasco sauce
• 1/4 tsp. salt

Blanch tomatoes in a large pot of boiling water for 15 seconds. Drop into ice water and remove the skins. Cut them in half and remove the seeds - this is important, don't leave too many seeds in the soup! Chop coarsely.

Peel the cucumber and remove seeds from it and the pepper. Chop both up a bit. Peel the garlic.

Puree the tomatoes, half the pepper, half the cucumber, and garlic.  Pass it through a strainer.  Add the vinegar, oil, Tabasco. Place in refrigerator and chill thoroughly.

Finely chop the onion, celery, and the remaining pepper and cucumber. Mix with tarragon.

When you are ready to serve, sprinkle each bowl with the chopped vegetables.

I modified this from a Golden Tomato Gazpachofound on the Robert Mondavi website.