We’re having a last sigh of summer this week in NYC and, with my windows open and a warm breeze coming through, I couldn’t help using my late season tomatoes to make gazpacho one last time.

I’ve made gazpacho before, tried a few different recipes, but it never quite hit for me. There are a lot of gazpacho fanatics, and I just didn’t get it - it’s like cold tomato soup… so what? It wasn’t until this summer that I discovered Julia Moskin’s ‘Best Gazpacho’ recipe and found myself making it on repeat. It’s creamy and smooth, salty and refreshing, filling but oh-so-light. Not to mention it’s packed with good-for-you vegetables, which just feels like having your cake and eating it, too.

I would have been willing to do a lot of work for all that reward, but the absolute best part about this recipe is that it is so ridiculously easy it feels a little boastful to claim it’s cooking at all. The chopping is chunky sloppy, and all you need is a food processor or blender; the stove doesn’t turn on AT ALL.

This recipe calls for a half cup of olive oil, plus more drizzled on top. Use it. All of it. The olive oil gets emulsified in with the vegetables - very much like whisking in olive oil when you’re making a dressing - and it’s the secret to this creamy, decadent, blow your mind soup. Use fresh olive oil (within two years of harvest) if possible, it makes a difference.

Serve the gazpacho in chilled bowls or glasses, as is or topped with something crunchy (I like chopped cucumbers and tomatoes, and definitely toasted bread crumbs). This makes a filling lunch on its own or a heartier meal with some bread and a salad.

Best Gazpacho

Servings: 8-12, ~1 quart. || Time: 20 minutes, plus chilling time || Source: Julia Moskin, New York Times

• Tomatoes, ripe - 2lbs

• Pepper - 1, ideally cubanelle or Anaheim, but a red or green bell pepper will do in a pinch

• Cucumber - 1

• Onion - 1 small white or red

• Garlic - 1 clove

• Sherry vinegar - 2 tsp

• Extra virgin olive oil - 1/2 cup, plus more to drizzle

Core the tomatoes and the pepper, making sure to remove all the pepper seeds. Peel the cucumber, onion, and garlic. Cut all of the vegetables into rough chunks and place in a food process or blender. You may need to do this in a couple of batches to avoid overfilling your device; respect the fill line! You can also do this with a hand blender in a deep bowl to avoid splashing.

Pulse the blender a couple of times to bring the volume down a bit, and then blend on high for a couple of minutes until the mixture is very smooth. Scrape down the sides as needed to get everything well blended. With the motor still running, add the salt and sherry vinegar. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil. The olive oil should emuslify and the mixture get lighter in color (pinker or orange); if it seems thin, add a bit more olive oil until you achieve a creamy texture.

Run the soup through a food mill on the finest plate or a fine strainer. If using a strainer, you may need to use a spatula to push the liquid through.

Store soup in a glass container and chill. I find a few hours in the refrigerator is sufficient, but in a shorter time frame (surprise gazpacho night!) I find an hour or so in the freezer to do the trick. Place bowls or glasses you’ll eat from in the refrigerator to chill in the meantime.

When ready to serve, ladle soup into chilled bowls or glasses. Drizzle with olive oil and, if desired, top with lightly salted chopped vegetables or croutons.