The Hill Team loves soup, any time of year. A warm summer day or evening calls for a cold, light and tasty Gazpacho.
This version is a simple combination of a Gazpacho I found in a small cafe in Barcelona, and one from a twelve year old copy of the New Beverly Hill’s Diet Book.

Gazpacho
4-6 tomatoes, diced
1 cucumber, diced
1 green pepper, diced
1 onion, diced
1 celery stalk, diced (optional) (or I use celery seeds)

3 tablespoons of rice vinegar
6 tablespoons of olive oil
dash of freshly ground pepper
dash of cumin seeds (1/6 teaspoon to taste)

Directions:

Dice and mix vegetables.
Add the vinegar, olive oil, ground pepper and cumin seeds.
Using a food processor or blender, blend all ingredients to desired consistency.
Chill the soup and the bowls.

Tips:

Before blending, I save about 1/4 – 1/3 of the diced cukes, pepper, celery and onion for a colorful and crunchy garnish on top of the soup.

In Spain, they added some finely chopped garlic to the blender for added taste.

The more chilling, the thicker it becomes. The less blending, the more rustic the soup.

Besides the diced vegetables, we like a dollop of sour cream or creme fresh as a garnish.

If you have croutons on hand, they add another crunch.

You can have fun with your own additions, such as cilantro or basil leaves on top.

Yield – 2 hearty and healthy servings. A perfect lunch or a first course at dinner.

Gazpacho is an easy picnic item if put into a large thermos in a cooler (and pour in disposal mugs, bowls or cups).

Enjoy!

Brenda C. Hill
International Food Wine & Travel Writers Association
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