BLENDER GAZPACHO WITH CELERY, CARROT, CUCUMBER AND RED PEPPER

Blender Gazpacho With Celery, Carrot, Cucumber and Red Pepper image

In a classic gazpacho all of these vegetables except the tomatoes are cut into fine dice and served as accompaniments to the puréed tomato base. In this version, I blend everything together into what is essentially a tangy, pungent vegetable smoothie. You can serve this in glasses or in bowls. I like the tarragon garnish.

Provided by Martha Rose Shulman

Categories soups and stews, appetizer

Time 10m

Yield Serves 6

Number Of Ingredients 12

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Ingredients

2 slices red or white onion
3/4 pound cucumber (such as 1 long European), peeled and coarsely chopped
1 1/2 pounds ripe tomatoes, quartered
1 medium carrot, peeled and coarsely chopped
2 sticks celery, coarsely chopped
1 medium size red pepper, coarsely chopped
2 large garlic cloves, halved, green germs removed
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar, plus a little extra for the onion
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Salt to taste
1 cup ice water
Chopped fresh tarragon or slivered fresh basil leaves for garnish

Steps:

Put the onion slices in a bowl, cover with cold water and add a few drops of vinegar. Let sit for 5 minutes while you prepare the remaining ingredients. Drain and rinse with cold water. Cut in half or into smaller pieces.
Working in 2 batches, blend all of the ingredients except the tarragon or basil leaves in a blender for 2 minutes or longer, until smooth and frothy. Transfer to a bowl or container (a metal bowl is the most efficient for chilling) and chill for at least 2 hours before eating. Garnish each bowl or glass with chopped fresh tarragon or slivered basil leaves.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 96, UnsaturatedFat 4 grams, Carbohydrate 12 grams, Fat 5 grams, Fiber 3 grams, Protein 2 grams, SaturatedFat 1 gram, Sodium 679 milligrams, Sugar 7 grams