Gazpacho

‘Tis the season to make gazpacho.  When the weather warms, everyone has a hankering to keep a big pot of gazpacho in the frig at all times.  No prob.  It is easy to make and lo-cal.  Can’t beat it. 

• 4 large tomatoes – squeeze out the juice and seeds before dicing
• 1 cucumber – peeled, cut in half, scoop out the seeds and dice
• 1 red pepper – diced
• 1 green pepper – diced
• 1 yellow pepper – diced
• 1 onion – diced (I prefer vidalia’s or anything sweet onion)
• 5 stalks of celery – slice lengthwise 4 times and then dice crosswise
• apple cider vinegar – 3/4-1 cup
• 2 large cans of basic tomato juice (not V8)
• tabasco
• salt and pepper

Cut up all the veggies and put in a large soup tureen.  Add the tomato juice until covered over about 1-2 inches.  I end up using about 1 and 1/2 – 1 and 1/4 cans of juice.  Mix. All depends on how soupy vs. chunky you want the gazpacho.  Now add the apple cider vinegar.  I prefer mine with a vinegar bite, so I generally am heavy handed on the vinegar.  I put in about 1 cup but sometimes after stirring it together toss in a little more.  Use your taste buds.  Tabasco is also according to taste.  I like it a bit spicy so I give quite a few shakes in.  Then add kosher salt and pepper to taste.

Let it set in the frig for a couple of hours.  It is addicting.