Gazpacho

 

Gazpacho

5 large tomatoes, peeled 

1 medium cucumber, peeled, seeded and diced (about 1 cup)

1/2 green pepper, seeded and diced (about 1/2 cup)

1/2 red onion, finely diced (about 1/3 cup)

2 green onions, thinly sliced (about 1/4 cup)

1 avocado, diced

1 cup chicken stock

2 tablespoons minced cilantro

juice of 1 lime

1/2 teaspoon crushed garlic

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (or to taste)

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Optional: tabasco sauce to taste

Roughly chop 3 tomatoes and place in a deep glass bowl. Using a hand blender, process until liquefied. (This should yield between 2 1/2 to 3 cups of liquid.) Dice the other 2 tomatoes and stir in. Add remaining ingredients, mix well and chill for at least 2 hours. Serve well chilled. (For a different texture, blend all 5 tomatoes, red onion, cilantro and garlic. This will be a more liquid soup, less salsa like.)

Hints: Home grown tomatoes are the best! This is a great first course for a late summer dinner or a wonderful main course for a summer luncheon. Best with some wonderful crusty bread. I use chicken stock paste for fresh tasting stock (Costco). The tabasco sauce can be served as a condiment at the table for those of us who like a kick. Adding cooked shrimp creates a whole new dimension in the dish. Chilling the soup bowls before you serve will enhance the experience.

Chilled soups are one of my favorite summer treats. I created this recipe years ago when I had tomatoes coming out my ears. Now days I plant fewer bushes but still like to use some for this soup at least once or twice a season. I will blog about my chilled pear soup soon.The choice of bowls you serve soup in can make the meal more rustic, refined or new age.