Tomato & Tomatillo Gazpacho, by Melinda

Tomato/Tomatillo Gazpacho, from Gourmet (source)

If you're willing to go pick your own tomatillos in the Upick field, you can have this quite delicious, super-easy soup! Celebrate both of these warm-weather crops while you can!  Btw, to prepare tomatillos, remove the papery husks and wash the tomatillos to get the slightly sticky coating they sport off the skin. Tomatillos can be eaten green, yellow, or purple! (For more on tomatillos, click here.) As well, because tomatillos have a husk, it's PERFECTLY OK to pick them up off the ground. That's often where the best ones are found, both the biggest and the ripest.

Tomato and Tomatillo Gazpacho--a chilled soup, though I happen to like it warmed too. Serves 6 as a starter course.

• 1/2 lb fresh tomatillos, husked, washed, and quartered
• 1 & 1/2 lbs tomatoes, chopped & divided into 3/4 lb piles
• 1/2 cup white onion, chopped & divided into 1/4 cup amounts
• 1 fresh serrano chile, coarsely chopped, including seeds [serranos are VERY hot chile peppers; if you don't like very hot food, substitute a milder pepper, and/or remove the seeds, wearing plastic gloves if you do]
• 1 clove garlic, quartered
• 2 tbsp red-wine vinegar
• 1 cup water
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 cup chopped cilantro

Puree the tomatillos, half the tomatoes, half the onion, chile, garlic, vinegar, & 1 & 1/4 tsp salt [or to taste] in a blender till smooth. Force through a medium-mesh sieve into a bowl, discarding solids. [Personally, I wouldn't do that sieving--I think you lose too many nutrients from the discarded bits of skins & seeds.] Stir in remaining tomatoes and onions, water, oil, & cilantro. Chill until cold, at least 1 hour and up to 4 hours before serving. (This is from Gourmet, 9/2009, click here.)