Spanish Gazpacho

Ingredients:

Directions:

1. Rinse the tomatoes, cucumber and bell pepper. Cut the tomatoes into quarters lengthwise, remove the core and seeds and discard them. Place the seeded sections of tomato in the jar of a blender and set aside.
2. Peel the cucumber, slice it in half lengthwise and then again a second time to quarter it. Slice away and discard the inner core of seeds from each piece then transfer to the blender jar with the tomatoes.
3. Cut the core, seeds, and white pith away from 1/2 to 3/4 of a medium green bell pepper. Place the pepper in the blender with the tomatoes and cucumber. Add the garlic, olive oil, sherry or red wine vinegar and cumin. Blend for 2-3 minutes on high until smooth.
4. Remove the crust from a six inch slice of baguette and place the bread in a shallow bowl. Pour a small amount of filtered water over the bread to soften it, transfer the bread to a colander and squeeze out the excess moisture. Add the bread to the gazpacho and a sprinkle of sea salt and black pepper. Return to blend on high speed for an additional 1-2 minutes or until smooth. Transfer the gazpacho into a glass bowl or carafe, cover and chill at least four hours before serving.
5. Finely dice any remaining vegetables or fresh herbs to use as a garnish. When ready to serve pour the soup into small bowls, top with chopped fresh herbs, a drizzle of olive oil, remaining chopped veggies and a slice of baguette or vegan croutons. Sprinkle with sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper and serve.
6. Gazpacho makes an impressive appetizer in small cups for a tapas menu or it can be served as a main course with bread and Spanish olives from Jensen’s Antipasto bar. To make your Gazpacho truly Spanish use the original Spanish sherry vinegar and a fruity Spanish olive oil. This bright tangy and delicious recipe is good any time of the year.
7. *Note
8. *Recipe courtesy of Liz Gary. For information about free local community cooking classes and special events visit [url=http://www.newoptionsfoodgroup.com]www.newoptionsfoodgroup.com[/url]