This soup doesn't really resemble Spanish gazpacho at all, but nevermind. It's more like a cold tomato soup with veggies, but on a hot summer day, it really satisfies. My toddler gobbles this up probably because I ate so much of it when I was pregnant with her.
I originally got the recipe from Patti who got it from Trader Joe's. I've tweaked it over the years, and every time I make it, it's different, but when summer hits, it's time to make this.
Put the following in a large bowl:
- 1/2 a large English cucumber, finely diced
- 3 medium tomatoes, seeded and diced
- 1/2 large, sweet yellow onion, finely diced
- 1 can of garbanzo or black beans
- a couple of handfuls of frozen sweet white corn
- one avocado, diced (but it's great without it, too)
- 1/2 a 15 oz. container of prepared refrigerated salsa (best quality)
- a handful of chopped fresh cilantro
- a splash of sherry vinegar or fresh lime juice to taste
Mix well, and to this mixture add chilled organic chicken broth (or no-chicken broth) and chilled V-8 or tomato juice (I like a ratio of 1 part chicken broth to 2 parts V-8) until it's the consistency you like. If you want a soupier soup, add more liquid. Mix well and season to taste with sea salt and hot pepper sauce.
Top each serving with a dollop of Mexican Crema (sour cream) or thick Greek-style yogurt (optional) and a squeeze of lime.
Patti totally pimped her Gazpacho recipe out - because I have it too! Come to think of it, it's so time to make it again since the hot weather has been relentless on the East Coast.
Posted by: Kat | July 11, 2007 at 11:15 AM