Zesty Gazpacho

Zesty Gazpacho

2 slices day old rustic bread

2 small cucumbers, peeled, seeded & chopped

1/2 yellow onion, chopped

2 1/2 pds tomatoes, peeled, seeded & chopped

1 green pepper, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

4 tbls EVOO

4 tbls red wine vinegar

S&P

ice water or tomato juice

Garnishes: reserved chopped veggies, croutons & EVOO

Oh, oh, oh Gazpacho!  That about sums it up!  We can't wait for summer to bring it's first tomatoes & to experience the flavors of this different cold soup that is so famous to Spain.  Be sure to read about it above!

First, soak your bread in water, while you are preparing your veggies.  Then, sqeeze the soaked bread dry... a clean kitchen towel works the best!  Place all veggies in a food processor, (reserving back 1/4 of each veggie to coarsely chop for texture & toppings).  Then, puree until smooth.

Now, finely chop the rest of the veggies.  Reserve some back for garnish.  Add the chopped veggies to the soup, along with the EVOO, red wine vinegar, S&P. Ahhh. you are almost done & the rest is really up to you!

It's your turn to judge!  If it's to thick, you can add a little ice water.  If your tomatoes don't taste ripe enough, you can add in tomatoe juice or even sauce.  A pinch of sugar will also bring about a nice ripe taste.  Now, it must be put into the fride to allow all those flavors to marry!

For the garnish: Top with reserved chopped veggies & drizzle with EVOO.   If you like croutons, here is a simple method I use.  Preheat oven to 350.  Cube old bread, place in a glass dish and drizzle with EVOO.  Toss with your fingers, then add S&P.  Put in the oven for 15 minutes, turning once.

To serve, a little goes a long way.  Especially if you are new to gazpaho, you might want to start with a small bowl & serve this as first dish prior to a meal.  Watch out, it has a way of growing on you to were you actually crave a bowl