Penny's Best Ever Gazpacho

Cooputo's Note:

This is the absolute BEST gazpacho I have ever had. The vodka just adds a little kick to the soup, which makes it different than any of the other recipes I have seen out there for the soup.

• Total Time: 5 hrs
• Prep Time: 5 hrs
• Cook Time: 0 mins

Ingredients:

Serves: 6

Yield: 1.0 cup

• 2 garlic cloves , chopped
• 5 medium tomatoes , ripe
• 5 roma tomatoes , ripe
• 2 medium cucumbers , English, peeled, cut in 1-in pieces
• 1 large red onion
• 1 large green bell pepper , cored, seeded and deribbed
• 1 large red bell pepper , cored, seeded and deribbed
• 2 cups tomato juice or 2 cups vegetable juice cocktail
• ¼ cup olive oil , extra virgin
• ¼ cup red wine vinegar
• ½ cup vodka (optional) or ½ cup vermouth (optional)
• 2 tablespoons lime juice , fresh
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 2 dashes Tabasco sauce (to taste)
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (to taste)
• 1 tablespoon celery salt (to taste)
• fresh ground pepper
• 2 stalks celery , inners, very finely diced
• garlic-flavored croutons (optional)

Directions:

1. Core the 5 medium tomatoes and coarsely chop them. Whiz the garlic in a blender or food processor, add the tomatoes and puree until smooth. Strain the puree into a large non-reactive bowl.
2. Coarsely chop 1 of the cucumbers, 1/2 of the onion, and 1/2 of the green and red bell peppers. Add the chopped vegetables to the processor (if using a blender, add 1/2 cup of the tomato or vegetable juice as well). Process until liquefied; strain into the large bowl, pressing down with the back of a spoon to extract all liquid.
3. Add to the bowl the remaining juice, olive oil, red wine vinegar, vodka or vermouth if using, lime juice, Worcestershire, Tabasco, cayenne pepper, celery salt and pepper. Stir well. Cover and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight.
4. Finely dice the Roma tomatoes, remaining onion, peppers and cucumber. Add the finly diced celery. Reserve, refrigerated in small mixing bowl.
5. To serve, ladle soup into chilled individual bowls. Sprinkle with the chopped vegetables and croutons, if using.