Gazpacho

There is nothing more refreshing on a hot summer’s day than a good gazpacho. Essentially, a liquid salad this piquant cold tomato soup is often just drunk from a glass, but I much prefer it served with the chopped vegetables on the side that are added to the soup as I was once served in Spain’s Andalusia.  

Serves 4.

Ingredients

1 cup fresh white breadcrumbs

2-3 tablespoons red wine vinegar

2 cucumbers (peeled, seeded and diced)

1 diced Vidalia (or other sweet) onion

2 cloves of garlic (crushed)

1 green or yellow pepper (cored, seeded and diced)

½ cup of olive oil (first cold press)

6 ripe tomatoes (coarsely chopped and worked through a sieve)

salt

black pepper

ice cubes (added to the soup just before serving)

3 slices of toasted bread, crusts removed (for croutons)

Directions

Soak the bread crumbs in 2 tablespoons of vinegar.

In a blender, liquefy the bread crumbs, one of the cucumbers, half of the peppers, half the onion and the garlic, together until smooth. Beat in the olive oil a few drops at a time. Stir in the pureed tomatoes and season with salt and pepper and add remaining vinegar. Chill thoroughly.

To serve: Before serving add ice cubes to the soup and prepare separate small dishes with the remaining diced cucumber, peppers, onion and croutons for guests to add to the soup as garnish.