Golden Gazpacho
I think of this soup as the soup version of a tomato salad, which means I make it only when tomatoes are in season, and I make it with the very best, fruity green olive oil I have. I use yellow tomatoes, but of course red would work just fine.
Serves 6 to 8 (Makes about 2 quarts)
2 pounds yellow heirloom tomatoes, cored and chopped
1 yellow bell pepper, roasted, cored, seeded, and diced
1 banana pepper, cored, seeded, and diced
2 celery stalks, diced
1 cucumber, peeled, halved, seeded, and diced
2 small yellow summer squash, chopped
1 tart apple (such as Granny Smith or Pippin), peeled, cored, and diced
1 large sweet yellow onion, such as Vidalia or Walla Wall, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling on the soup
8 fresh basil leaves, cut into thin strips, plus more for garnish
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint leaves
2 teaspoons hot sauce (Tabasco or Texas Pete)
1 teaspoon sea salt, plus more to taste
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
Combine the tomatoes, yellow pepper, banana pepper, celery, cucumber, squash, apple, onion, garlic, broth, olive oil, basil, chives, mint, Tabasco, salt, and pepper in a large airtight container with a lid. Cover and refrigerate for several hours to allow the flavors to meld. Serve chilled, topped with a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil and a sprinkling of basil strips.