Yellow Gazpacho with Herbed Goat Cheese Toasts

Active Time: 30 MinsTotal Time1 Hour 30 Mins
Yield: Serves 4

You don’t have to wait for cold weather to enjoy a satisfying bowl of soup. Gazpacho is a refreshingly chilled, summer soup, usually made with a pureed mixture of fresh tomatoes and other garden vegetables, olive oil, breadcrumbs garlic. You can even stir in cold shrimp or crab to make this a more complete meal.  The gazpacho is even better when prepared one day ahead and stored in the refrigerator, which allows the flavors more time to blend.

Ingredients

  • 1(8-oz.) baguette
  • 1 cup water
  • 1/2 cup plus 1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided
  • 1/4 cup plus 1 Tbsp. white wine vinegar, divided
  • 3medium-size yellow bell peppers, divided
  • 1large English cucumber, peeled and coarsely chopped (about 2 cups)
  • 1large garlic clove, peeled
  • 3 pints yellow cherry tomatoes, divided
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
  • 1 teaspoon paprika, plus more for garnish
  • 2 ounces goat cheese (about 1/2 cup), softened
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh chives
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

How to Make It

Step 1

Tear baguette in half; tear 1 half into small pieces, and place in a blender. (Set aside remaining baguette half.) Add water, 1/2 cup of the oil, and 1/4 cup of the vinegar to blender; let stand 10 minutes.

Step 2

Coarsely chop 2 of the bell peppers. Add chopped peppers, cucumber, garlic, and 2 pints of the tomatoes to blender; process until smooth, about 1 minute. Stir in 1 teaspoon each of the salt and paprika. Cover and chill until cold, about 1 hour.

Step 3

Meanwhile, chop remaining 1 bell pepper and 1 pint tomatoes; place in a small bowl. Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil, 1 tablespoon vinegar, and 1/2 teaspoon salt; stir to blend. Set aside.

Step 4

Preheat toaster oven to 400°F. Cut reserved baguette half into 8 diagonal slices. Place slices on toaster oven pan; bake in preheated oven until golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes.

Step 5

Stir together goat cheese, chives, and parsley in a small bowl; spread over cooled toasts. Ladle chilled soup into 4 serving bowls. Top with chopped tomato mixture; sprinkle with paprika. Serve with toasts.

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