Heirloom Tomato Gazpacho

Balsamic Dots

Serves 8

1 cup chopped red onions
1 jalapeno (no seeds)
1 cup chopped green bell pepper
1 cup chopped English cucumbers
1 cup Mama Lil’s peppers
1 cup chopped and peeled heirloom tomatoes
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped garlic
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1/4 cup tomato paste
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
3 cups tomato juice
Sprig of thyme

Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl or other container, cover and let sit in the refrigerator overnight.

The next day, remove the thyme and blend all the ingredients in a blender until the gazpacho is smooth. You will have about 2 quarts. For a smoother texture, strain the soup to yield about 1 quart. Refrigerate the gazpacho until ready to serve.

Ladle the cold soup into chilled bowls and squeeze dots of balsamic glaze (see recipe below) over the top.

Enjoy!

Heat 2 cups balsamic vinegar in a heavy saucepan over medium heat until steam rises from the liquid. Place the saucepan on a heat diffuser and let the liquid reduce very slowly (it shouldn't simmer) for 2 to 3 hours, until it has reduced and thickened to a syrupy glaze. You should be left with approximately ½ - ¾ cup of glaze*. Keep the glaze in a squeeze bottle at room temperature for garnishing.

* If the glaze is too thick, warm the bottle in hot water to loosen the glaze.