Gazpacho

Gazpacho is basically chopped Israeli-type salad in tomato juice, with some hot sauce and vinegar. Some recipes also call for oil, but I don't usually put it in. You can always add it to each portion. Some recipes call for tomato paste, but my favorite thickener is a ripe avocado, so that also requires advance planning. Or you could put in a dollop of guacamole.

Gazpacho is very forgiving. If you have some vegetables around, like it's tomato season, just put in more tomatoes. Or cucumbers. Below is a suggested list.

The main challenges of making gazpacho are:

1) Thinking ahead. A ripe avocado really adds nice smooth texture.

2) Chill the ingredients, even the pitcher, if you're making it the same day.

3) Lots of chopping.

1 bottle of tomato juice - at least one quart (32 oz)

1 onion

1 cucumber

1 pepper

1 or 2 tomatoes

1 ripe avocado

some carrots

celery (or other vegetables, cilantro is awesome!)

1/4 cup red-wine vinegar

dash of Tabasco or other hot sauce

Chop the softer vegetables in small chunks. Put them in the food processor.

You will need to do this in two batches.

For the cucumbers, peel and slice in half the long way. Halve each of the halves, and then with the point of the knife, slice/scoop out the seeds.

Add some of the tomato juice and process until smooth but with some vegetable flecks/chunks still visible.

Carrots need to be chopped finer or processed longer.

Add the first batch to your pitcher (or tureen if you have one).

Repeat a second time till all your vegetables are chunked and processed. Add to the pitcher and stir. Add the remaining tomato juice, vinegar, Tabasco and any spices you like. Tomato juice is quite salty, so no need for more salt. You could add fresh oregano, dill, parsley - whatever you have around.

Put in the ladle and stir it up.

Chill.

For serving, chopped herbs are nice on top, or a little guacamole. Croutons are a classic garnish.

This amount serves around 8.