The other day I awoke with The Jackson Five in my head…

[Source]

…and the need to make gazpacho in my heart.

Wait, Sarah. Hold the phone. I know you come up with recipes from the strangest circumstances…but The Jackson Five? Gazpacho? I don’t think I’m the only one who is thinking you are C-R-A-Z-Y.

Yes, y’all, crazy or not, it’s true. The dulcet tones of the pre-pubescent King of Pop inspired my culinary creation of a simple summer soup, often* referred to as “liquid salad,” and otherwise known as a big old bowl of refreshing vegetable goodness, perfect for beating the heat here in Texas (or wherever you might be…unless you are in Antarctica, in which case I think you might have some trouble finding fresh tomatoes among the penguins…but you are with penguins, so at least you have that).

*OK, once. That I know of.

So how did The Jackson Five inspire me? Well, although I Want You Back makes me want to dance around in my kitchen, and The Love You Save conjures up choreographed hand motions that would make even ‘Mr. Schue’ proud, it is the classic ABC that will be aiding and abetting us this day. [Don’t you love how saying ‘this day’ is so much more monumental than ‘today’?]

I’m gonna teach you…all about gazpacho
Sit yourself down, take a seat
All you gotta do is repeat after me:
A-B-C, as easy as 1-2-3
As simple as Do, Re, Mi
A-B-C, 1-2-3
Gazpacho’s easy!

A
Assemble your ingredients.

Three medium tomatoes, minced garlic, one large cucumber, a lemon, a lime, a green and red bell pepper, a red onion

Parsley, basil, and red wine vinegar (as well as some S & P)

Don’t forget the tomato juice!

B
Blades: Get them.

C
Cut, Can-Open, and Combine

Peel and dice your cucumber…

Slice and dice your peppers…

(I know some people choose their veggies based on external beauty…I tend to choose based on interesting-ness.)

Seed (as best you can, but there are no perfectionists in The Smart Kitchen) and dice your tomatoes.

Cut up 1/4 of your onion.

Open your tomato juice can in the old-school Juicy Juice style from when you were a small child.

Combine 1/2 of your veggies (and all of the onion and garlic) in a food processor.

And now…
1

First round: liquify.

Then pour it into a large bowl.

2

Second round: pulse the remaining veggies, and 1/4 cup parsley and 1/3 cup basil, 10-15 times

Then add it to the liquid in the mixing bowl.

3

Add 2 cups tomato juice, 1/4 cup red wine vinegar, the juice of half a lemon, the juice of one whole lime to the mixture in the bowl.

If you are feeling really ambitious, you can garnish with some left over diced veggies and some basil ‘flowers.’

Or pack some protein with shrimp!

Now put on some Jackson Five and get cooking! (I mean…cutting? processing? blending?)

Gazpacho

(Serves 6-8)

3 medium tomatoes, diced (1 3/4 c.)
1 large cucumber, diced (1 3/4 c.)
1 red bell pepper, diced (1 cup)
1 green bell pepper, diced (1 cup)
1/4 red onion, diced (1/2 cup)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 c. flat-leaf parsley
1/3 c. fresh basil
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Juice of 1 lime
2 cups tomato juice
1/4 c. red wine vinegar
salt & pepper

1. Put half of the tomatoes, cucumbers, and bell peppers in a food processor, along with the red onion and garlic. Process until smooth. Pour blend into large bowl.
2. Put remaining tomatoes, cucumbers, and bell peppers, along with parsley and basil in food processor. Pulse 10-15 times, until chopped. Combine with blended mixture in bowl.
3. To the mixing bowl add tomato juice, lemon and lime juices, red wine vinegar, and a dash of salt and pepper. Stir well.

Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.

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