Market Fresh Recipe: Chilled Gazpacho Soup with Feta

Summer is here, and there's no better way to celebrate its advent than with Chilled Gazpacho Soup with Feta.

An ancient soup with Spanish roots, Gazpacho is made from a puree of raw vegetables with many variations. The most classic combines tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, and onions. With summer upon us, tomatoes have begun to make their first robust appearance at the . This soup is one of the best ways to use them. Not only is it delicious, but it's also healthy.

This recipe, which is garnished with crumbled feta cheese and extra virgin olive oil, is perfect for a light lunch or served with dinner.

Chilled Gazpacho with Feta
Serves four people
Prep time: 10 minutes (plus one hour chilling time)
Vegetarian, gluten-free

Ingredients

• 4 cups tomatoes, quartered
• 1 cup cucumbers, roughly chopped
• 2 bell peppers, seeded and roughly chopped
• 1 medium red onion, peeled and roughly chopped
• 1 garlic clove, peeled
• 1 jalapeno, halved and seeded (optional)
• 2 tablespoons good balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoons good olive oil
• salt and freshly ground pepper

for garnishing:

• extra virgin olive oil
• feta cheese
• fresh cracked pepper

Directions

1. Place the tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, jalapeno, red onion and garlic in a blender and puree together until combined but still a little chunky. 
2. Add the balsamic vinegar and the olive oil and mix together. 
3. Season to taste with salt and pepper. 
4. Chill the soup for at least an hour in the refrigerator (may be made a day in advance and kept in the fridge).
5. To serve, ladle the soup into bowls. Crumble some feta cheese on top and drizzle with olive oil. Top with a little fresh cracked pepper. Enjoy!

Buy your ingredients at the West Hollywood Farmers' Market, held every Monday (rain or shine) from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at , 1200 N. Vista St.