Chilled Yellow Tomato Gazpacho

The most refreshing make-ahead dinner I can think for those long, hot, end of summer days. The only thing you have to plan a bit ahead for is the soaking of your almonds. Taking the 1-minute to soak them the night before will pay off tenfold in a creamy, smooth soup that just gets better with age. Endlessly modifiable, as (imho) all great summer recipes should be, use what you have on hand and what you particularly enjoy.

For example, I am not a fan or raw bell peppers (of any color) or raw onions so I omit those. But if you love them, by all means toss them in! If you’d prefer the soup to be dairy-free, the buttermilk is entirely optional. At the shops we make it vegan but at home I love the acidity and creaminess it lends to the finished soup.

Ingredients:

Serves 4

1/2 cup whole almonds, soaked overnight

3 large yellow tomatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces

1 English cucumber, cut into 1-inch pieces

1 small red chili (I like Thai hots but use what you have. Chili flakes or a dash of hot sauce is fine)

1 cup basil leaves, tough stems removed, tender stems can remain

1/2 cup corn kernels, frozen or fresh

2 TB vinegar (I like apple cider vinegar)

2 TB EV Olive Oil

2 tsp salt

1 tsp ground black pepper

1 cup low-fat buttermilk (or water)

Method:

1) Day 1- In a small bowl, place the almonds with enough water to cover. Cover tightly and let them sit at room temperature overnight.

2) Day 2- Drain the water from the almonds and add them to a large bowl with all of the remaining ingredients, except the buttermilk. Toss everything together like a salad. Add everything to the jar of a blender, in batches if needed, adding buttermilk as you go to help puree the mixture. Place the finished soup in a large bowl or storage container and season with salt and pepper to taste and thin with buttermilk as needed. Serve well chilled.. This soup gets better overnight so make a day ahead of serving if possible.
Notes:

a) The soup will thicken overnight as the pureed almonds continue to absorb liquid. You may want to thin with more buttermilk (or water) on the second day before serving.

b) Why yellow tomatoes? Of course, you can use any color of tomato for this gazpacho but I love yellow tomatoes as the color is more pleasing and they generally have less acid, creating a rounder, more balanced flavor.

c) Serve topped with croutons, halved cherry tomatoes, sliced basil, and a drizzle of olive oil for garnish.