Bee-you-tiful tomatoes

Photo: Lori Korleski Richardson

This tomato plant came to me as an Indigo Apple. Since it doesn't seem very blue to me, I think it might have been mislabeled. But it produced lovely, rich fruit and a lot of it.

In today's Sacramento Bee, you'll find a lot of good recipes by chef/gardener/writers. Here's mine:

LORI K’S GARDEN GAZPACHO

Prep time: About 15 minutes

Serves 3 or 4

Note: I like seeds and skins. Add more prep time, and some tomato juice, if you want to remove both.

2 pounds ripe tomatoes, roughly chopped

1 medium red bell pepper, roughly chopped

1 large, young lemon cucumber, roughly chopped

½ red onion, roughly chopped

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

Two ½-inch slices french bread or 1 slice ciabatta, torn up

A few basil leaves and/or parsley

1 small fresh jalapeño, seeded and roughly chopped

2 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed

Salt and black pepper

1 avocado, quartered and thinly sliced into fans (optional)

1 tablespoon sherry (optional)

Put the tomatoes, bell pepper, cucumber, onion, olive oil, bread, parsley and/or basil, jalapeño and garlic in a blender; season with salt and pepper. Process until smooth, adding up to ½ cup water if necessary.

Taste and adjust the seasoning. Refrigerate for up to a few hours before serving or serve immediately. Float the sherry on top and/or garnish with avocado fans, if desired.

Read the rest at http://www.sacbee.com/food-drink/recipes/article95808407.html Enjoy!

Read more here: http://www.sacbee.com/food-drink/recipes/article95808407.html#storylink=cpy