Anna Lee's Gazpacho

Sumo over at Sumo Merriment has initiated Cheesecake Friday and since she is doing dessert I will find other recipe's to share. Here is one from a wonderful Dutch cook Annalies, who has a nice little lunch cafe here in Roswell. This is a simple cold soup originally from Spain and there are hundreds of variations. I like this one because it is simple and with the chopped vegetables added after, has some tooth to it. Since spring is here and summer is coming quickly this is a great summer meal starter to have on hand in the fridge.

In your food processor bowl,
1 nice large clove of garlic
1 tsp of salt
1 T of dry basil or 3 T of fresh Basil
1 tsp Tobasco
3 T of red wine vinegar

Pulse a few times to chop the garlic then add 2 28 oz cans of Italian plum tomatoes. (If you don't have a big enough processor then divide it.) I use the chopped or crushed tomatoes . Process until smooth then add half of the following ingredients reserving the other half to add after processing and process again until smooth.
2 stalks of celery chopped finely
1/2 a green pepper chopped finely
1/2 a cucumber seeded and chopped finely
1 green onion chopped finely
Add the final half of the chopped vegetables and chill for a few hours. You can then adjust the salt, Tobasco and vinegar to your taste. This will keep refrigerated for 3 or 4 days. Serve cold with a dollop of plain yogurt or sour cream and a nice sprinkle of chopped Italian parsley.

For a little variation try adding a 3 or 4 chilled, peeled and steamed shrimp to each bowl when served or even a few nice lumps of crabmeat. Another variation that is cheap and adds protein... just use canned beans like pinto, cannelloni, black or red/kidney and rinse them well in a colander. Add a few table spoons to each serving and you are almost complete nutritionally. If you are concerned about nutrition adding some canned or frozen 'niblets' corn that has also been rinsed will complete the nutritional profile. Enjoy!

Note: there are some who think a few table spoons of good olive oil in required in gazpacho in order to balance the acidity and to add 'mouth feel'. Try it both ways and see which you prefer.

Note 2: not all canned tomatoes are equal. I prefer Red Pack crushed with puree and Hunt's organic crushed with puree. Muir Glen is not bad and neither is Progresso but the later is a little watery.