Not long ago I posted a recipe for a chunky California-style gazpacho. It was such a hit that I thought I’d share with you a more traditional, but just as delicious, recipe.

Allow me to take you on a little trip to Spain…

Gazpacho
The following recipe is adapted from the famous Spanish cookbook 1080 Recipes.

2 1/4 pounds ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and coarsely chopped
1/4 onion, coarsely chopped
1 small cucumber, peeled and coarsely chopped
1/2 small green bell pepper, seeded and coarsely chopped, plus a little extra for garnish
4 1/2 cups bread crumbs
3/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
Salt and fresh ground pepper

Put the tomato, onion, cucumber, bell pepper, bread crumbs, oil, and vinegar into a food processor or blender and process until smooth. If the mixture is too thick, then add a bit of cold water. Transfer to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until fully chilled (about 2 hours).

Season to taste with salt and pepper, and garnish with a bit of diced green bell peppers and tomato. A drizzle of a good quality extra virgin olive oil is quite nice too.

Serves 4-6

How easy was that! Enjoy!

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One of my favorite light summer dinners to make is refreshing gazpacho. This chilled soup is sure to quickly soothe an overly hot body. The recipes that I prefer are those without bread, making them lighter and healthier (especially if you’re dieting).

This recipe is from my mother’s friend, Vicki Sebastiani, founder of Viansa Winery in Sonoma, California. You can find it in her wonderful cookbook Cucina Viansa.

Gazpacho alla California

Makes 8 cups
1 large cucumber: peeled, seeded and diced
1 large red onion: peeled and diced
1 large red bell pepper: seeded and diced
1 large zucchini, diced
6 large tomatoes: peeled seeded and diced (about 6 cups)
1/4 cup white wine
2 cups tomato juice
3 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon Balsamic vinegar
1 large clove of garlic, minced
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Dash of Tobasco sauce (optional)

Garnish:

1/2 sour cream
1/2 cup fresh minced chives
1/2 cups croutons, preferably homemade (I skipped this in my preparation)

Note: I also like to toss in avocado for extra creaminess.

Set aside about a 1/2 cup each of the diced cucumber, onion, pepper, and zucchini. Toss the remaining ingredients into a blender and puree slightly, so vegetables remain a little chunky. Cover tightly and refrigerate 2-3 hours, or until chilled. Either stir the remaining vegetables into the soup, or arrange on a separate dish to be added individually. Nice served with a dollop of sour cream, too.

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