Roasted Tomato Gazpacho

Makes 6-8 servings

12 plum tomatoes 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 tablespoon balsamic

vinegar 1 teaspoon sugar 1 teaspoon kosher salt 2 seedless cucumbers, skin on, cut into 1-inch chunks 1 red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces 1 yellow bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces 1 red orange pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces 1 red onion, cut into 1-inch pieces 6 scallions, trimmed and cut

into 1-inch pieces 2 to 3 cups tomato juice 3 tablespoons white wine, champagne or white balsamic vinegar Hot sauce to taste

Instructions: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Spray a rimmed baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray or lightly oil the sheet.

Cut the tomatoes in half lengthwise and place them cut side up on the prepared baking sheet. Drizzle them evenly with the olive oil and the vinegar, and then sprinkle them with the sugar and salt. Roast them for about 45 to 50 minutes, until they are lightly caramelized and starting to collapse.

Add half of the tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, onion and scallions into the food processor. Pulse to chop the vegetables as finely as you would like them in the finished soup. Turn the chopped vegetables into a bowl and repeat with the remaining vegetables. Remove half of this batch of chopped vegetables to the bowl, and then let the food processor run for about 20 seconds until the remaining couple of cups of vegetables are puréed. Add those to the bowl.

Add the tomato juice and vinegar, as well as hot sauce to taste. Stir and adjust the salt and pepper as desired. Refrigerate the soup for at least 2 hours and up to 2 days. Serve chilled.