Ingredients

• 6  large tomatoes, cored, halved, and seeded
• 1  medium onion, cut in wedges
• 4  cloves garlic, peeled
• 1  medium cucumber, peeled, seeded, and cut up
• 1  medium yellow sweet pepper, seeded and cut up
• 4  medium jalapeño, or serrano chile peppers, or 2 medium habañero chile peppers, seeded and cut up
• 2  11.5-oz. cans hot-style vegetable juice
• 2  Tbsp. lemon juice
• 2  Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• 1  tsp. sugar
• 2  6-oz. cans canned crab meat, drained, flaked, and cartilage removed
•   Chopped fresh chives (optional)

Directions

1. Heat oven to 425 degrees F. Place tomatoes (cut sides up), onion, and garlic on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast 30 minutes or until tomato skins are charred. Peel off tomato skins.

2. Place tomatoes in food processor. Cover; process until smooth. Transfer to large serving bowl. Place onion, garlic, cucumber, sweet pepper, and chile peppers in food processor. Cover; pulse with on/off turns until chopped to desired consistency.

3. Add processed vegetables, vegetable juice, lemon juice, olive oil, sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper to tomatoes. Stir to combine. Cover; chill at last 4 hours or up to 24 hours.

4. Spoon gazpacho in bowls. Top with crab meat. Sprinkle chives. Makes 8 servings.

5. Hot: 4 medium jalapeño chile peppers
Hotter: 4 medium serrano chile peppers
Hottest: 2 medium habañero chile peppers