Creamy Tomato Yogurt Gazpacho

When it comes to summer time tomatoes, I will always want to eat them in their simplest form. Yes I love making a tomato galette, but all other times, I want them raw, with lots of salt and olive oil. Mainly eaten as a salad, or over grilled bread. Obviously as a BLT too. And then there is this gazpacho. It is the simplest soup to make in the summer time, and really showcases the best of the tomatoes. Creamy, flavorful, chilled, and just perfect on these hot summer days when I don’t want to turn on the stove.

Creamy Tomato Yogurt Gazpacho
4 servings

INGREDIENTS:
½ English hothouse cucumber, peeled, seeded
½ large red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded
2 pounds very ripe red tomatoes, cored and chopped
1 ½ cups (12 ounces) plain whole fat yogurt
½ large shallot, chopped
1 garlic clove, finely grated
2 tablespoons (or more) sherry or red wine vinegar
Flaky sea salt
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
¼ cup chopped chives
½ cup cherry tomatoes, halved

STEPS:
Cut the cucumber in half, and then chop half of the cucumber and place in a large bowl. With the remaining half cut into small pieces for garnishes and set aside. Cut the bell pepper in half, chopping one half and placing in the large bowl. And cutting the remainder into small pieces for garnish and setting aside. Add the chopped tomatoes into the bowl and mix together with shallots, garlic, vinegar and 1 tablespoon of kosher salt. Let stand for up 20-30 minutes. 

Place chopped ingredients and the liquid in the bowl into a blender. Add the oil and yogurt. Puree until smooth. Taste and season with salt and pepper, possibly adding a few more dashes of vinegar. 

If you prefer the texture to be silky, strain through a mesh sieve. Store in the fridge for 1 hour before serving. 

Divide gazpacho among bowls. Top with cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, and bell peppers. Add chopped chives, a drizzle of olive oil and flaky salt.