Moroccan Tomato Soup a la Barbara Kafka

I absolutely love a rich gazpacho in the heat of summer!  Living in the Garden State, we have a wealth of delicious fresh veggies daily at the local farmers' markets.  However, when I read a NY Times food article about a 1991 recipe of Barbara Kafka's for Moroccan Tomato Soup, I had to try it ~ why?  It was spicy, hot and didn't require chopping ten different veggies to garnish the soup.  Given the year it was created, it was a quick reward for a delicious hot weather soup, as the following recipe reveals.

5 med. cloves garlic, smashed, peeled and minced; 2 1/2 t. sweet paprika; 1 1/2 t. ground cumin; large pinch of cayenne pepper; 4 t. x-virgin olive oil; 2 1/4 lb. tomatoes, cored and cut into 1-inch pieces; 1/4 cup packed fresh chopped cilantro; 1 T. white wine vinegar; 2 T. fresh lemon juice; kosher salt; 4 stalked celery diced.

In a small saucepan, stir together the garlic, paprika, cumin, cayenne and olive oil.  Place over med.-low heat, stirring constantly for 5 minutes.  Remove from heat and set aside.  Pulse the tomatoes in a cuisinart (originally, it was to pass the tomatoes through a food mill ~ ho hum).  Stir in cooked spice mixture, cilantro, vinegar, lemon juice, 2 t. salt, celery & 2 T. water.  Taste for seasoning. Refrigerate until cold (I refrigerated for one day to let the flavors meld).  Serve garnished with cilantro leaves.  Serves 4.