Gazpacho

This soup is a great change from salads for the hot weather months.

Ingredients

3 large, ripe tomatoes, cored
2 cucumbers (or 1 English cucumber), peeled, halved lengthwise and seeded
1 small onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped (wear gloves), or a few dashes Tabasco sauce
1 large green bell pepper, cored and very finely diced
2 tablespoons (25 mL) minced fresh parsley
1/3 cup (75 mL) red wine vinegar
1/3 cup (75 mL) olive oil
1/2 cup (125 mL) vegetable stock, tomato juice, or water
Salt, to taste
Freshly ground pepper, to taste

Instructions

Roughly chop the tomatoes and place in a food processor or blender along with 1 1/2 of the cucumbers (or 3/4 of the English cucumber), all the onion, garlic and jalapeno pepper.

Pure until almost smooth but not liquefied.

Pour into a large serving bowl.

Very finely dice the remaining 1/2 cucumber by hand.

Stir it into the soup along with the green pepper, parsley, vinegar, oil, stock, salt and pepper. (If you are using Tabasco instead of a jalapeno pepper, add it now.)

Chill at least 2 hours before serving.

Notes

This dish can be considered a free food.