Gazpacho

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   1. Mix all the ingredients except the balsamic glaze together in a bowl or other container, cover, and let sit in the refrigerator overnight.

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   2. The next day, remove the thyme and blend all the ingredients in a blender until the gazpacho is smooth. You will have about 2 quarts. For a smoother texture, strain the soup to yield about 1 quart. Refrigerate the gazpacho until ready to serve.

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   To complete: Ladle the cold soup into bowls and squeeze dots of balsamic glaze over the top.

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   A note on the tomato juice: To drown vine-ripened vegetables in inferior tomato juice and call it Gazpacho is travesty. A blind tasting of seven leading brands said while Campbell's did not receive uniformly negative marks, neither was it among most tasters top choices. Ungood tomato juices include V-8, Knudsen, and Muir Glen. The juices that rated tops, fresh Samantha and Welch's have distinctive different flavor profiles. Fresh Samantha was termed spice and peppery but fresh tasting. Welch's is straightforward, tomatoey and mellow. I ordered Welches from Gristedies in NYC. Alas Buffalo stores do not carry Welches Tomato juice.

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   Balsamic Glaze

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   2 cups balsamic vinegar

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   Heat the vinegar in a heavy saucepan over medium heat until steam rises from the liquid. Place the saucepan on a heat diffuser and let the liquid reduce very slowly (it shouldn't simmer) for 2 to 3 hours, until it has reduced and thickened to a syrupy glaze. There should be approximately 1/2 cup of glaze. Keep the glaze in a squeeze bottle at room temperature for garnishing: if the glaze is too thick, warm the bottle in hot water to loosen the glaze.

* Per serving · 4 servings · Values may vary.

No additional tips available.