Gazpacho is essentially a liquid salad. It’s best prepared at the height of summer, using fresh, local ingredients—I always use Georgia-grown vegetables when I make this gazpacho. The key is to use the proper amount of salt to draw out the moisture and flavor of the vegetables. There is nothing so simple, yet so vitally essential to cooking, as salt. Without salt even the most elaborate dish would be lifeless and dull. I remember staring incredulously as my chef in culinary school would toss what seemed to be handfuls of salt into food. Now I giggle when my students stare at me when I do the same!

　　

Ingredients

serves 4 to 6

　　3 tomatoes, cored and coarsely chopped

　　1 English cucumber, seeded and coarsely chopped

　　1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and coarsely chopped

　　1 green bell pepper or poblano chile, cored, seeded, and coarsely chopped

　　1 onion, preferably Vidalia, coarsely chopped

　　1 carrot, chopped

　　1 stalk celery, chopped

　　Juice of 1/2 lemon, plus more if needed

　　1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

　　1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

　　1 cup tomato juice (optional)

　　1/2 cup crème fraîche or sour cream

　　1/4 cup chopped fresh tarragon

　　Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper

　　1/4 cup best-quality extra-virgin olive oil

　　

Step 1

In the bowl of a food processor or jar of a blender fitted with the metal blade, puree the tomatoes until very smooth. Transfer the tomato puree to a large nonreactive bowl. Puree the cucumber, red and green bell peppers, onion, carrot, and celery. (If your bowl isn’t large enough, puree the vegetables in batches.) Add the pureed vegetables to the pureed tomatoes and stir to combine. Add the lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, and cayenne pepper. If the soup seems too thick, add the tomato juice, if necessary, to achieve the proper consistency. Cover with plastic wrap and chill thoroughly in the refrigerator, at least 30 minutes.

　　

Step 2

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the crème fraîche and tarragon. Season the mixture with salt and black pepper. Set aside.

　　

Step 3

To serve, taste the soup and adjust the seasoning with salt, pepper, and lemon juice, if necessary. Ladle the soup into chilled bowls. Drizzle over the olive oil and top each bowl of soup with a small dollop of the seasoned crème fraîche. Serve immediately.

　　From Bon Appétit, Y’all: Recipes and Stories From Three Generations of Southern Cooking, © 2008 by Virginia Willis. Reprinted by permission of Ten Speed Press. Buy the full book from Amazon or Abe Books.