Rustic Peach Gazpacho

Rustic Peach Gazpacho

3 ripe peaches
maple syrup
6 sm-med tomatoes, chopped - heirloom are my favorite!
1 small (or half of a large) English cucumber, peeled and chopped
1/2 c sweet onion, finely chopped
25 mint leaves, rinsed
1/4 c fresh basil (or about 50 leaves), rinsed
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 T red wine vinegar
1 T fresh lemon juice
1/2 T tomato paste
1/4 t smoked paprika - yes, you MUST used smoked instead of regular - it's the magic ingredient!
1/2 t sea salt
fresh ground pepper to taste
1 T extra virgin olive oil

Slice peaches in half, and remove the pits. Arrange on a baking sheet, cut side up, and drizzle with maple syrup. Place under a broiler for 3-5 minutes, or until deep golden brown. Remove, and let cool.

Combine all ingredients except olive oil in a large bowl. Use an immersion blender to blend everything to a creamy consistency, or, you can use a traditional blender or food processer and blend the ingredients in small batches - then combine. Once you have achieved a smooth soup, continue blending as you slowly drizzle in the olive oil.

Let chill for at least 8 hours. I usually make mine the day before we eat it - as with most gazpachos, the flavors really come together over time.

Garnish with croutons, chives, and peach slices, if desired.

This soup is amazing alongside sandwiches or paninis, excellent as an interesting first course, and also pairs well with BBQ.

Original recipe found HERE on the Emma Frisch blog. As usual, I just tweaked it a bit to suit our tastes and my cooking style!