OK, so here’s a more traditional gazpacho. Be sure to use only the very best tomatoes you can find. Those rock-hard, well-travelled, tasteless red orbs at the grocery store are NOT what you want here. Grow them yourself or buy them at a farmer’s market or small grocery that buys from small farmers (organic grocers are great for this). Many gazpachos are just purees, but I prefer a little tooth to mine, so I include some chunks.
Tomato Gazpacho
makes about 1 quart
4-5 medium tomatoes (about 2 lbs)
1 large small-seed cucumber (hydroponic is good)
2 small carrots, peeled
3 cloves garlic, pressed
2 slices whole-wheat or other flavorful dark bread
juice of one large lemon
1 teaspoon salt
Chop one tomato, 1/4 of cucumber, and carrots into 1/4-inch pieces and place in large bowl. Puree the rest of the tomatoes, the other 3/4 of the cucumber, the garlic, and the bread in a blender or food processor, in batches if necessary. Pour puree into bowl with chopped vegetables, add lemon juice & salt, and chill for at least 4 hours. Taste for salt, thin with water if desired (I generally do not), and serve.