It’s hot out. I live in Ireland and it’s hot and sunny. It’s like a parallel universe. Especially since most everyone outside is walking around in sundresses and shorts as if they always do. It’s eerie. When I lived in California, I was used to 358 days of sunshine a year…and I missed the rain. The cooling refreshment of a downpour that washes the streets and waters the plants, leaving everything green and sparkling. So, the heat wave we’re experiencing in Ireland right now is not my cup of tea. In fact, it’s too hot for a cup of tea and it’s impossible to find a glass of iced tea in this country so I’m craving cold foods.
For this reason and the fact that it’s my favourite soup ever, I wanted Gazpacho. It didn’t need to be authentic or perfect. Basically, I wanted a Virgin Mary I could eat with a spoon. So, this is what I made and I’ll admit, I did the whole thing in my food processor. One dish to wash. Score! Here’s the recipe with yummy photos:
Quick Gazpacho
700 ml tomato juice, chilled
1/2 teaspoon finely chopped garlic
1/2 teaspoon vinegar
Juice from 1 1/2 limes
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 red or yellow bell pepper, finely diced
1 medium cucumber, finely diced (sometimes I julienne for variety)
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
1. In a container that can be sealed with cover, place all the ingredients and stir (if you trust the container, feel free to seal and shake gently).
2. Refrigerate until time to serve.
Serving Idea: If you have some handy, garnish with fresh cilantro leaves. Otherwise, I like to add shredded cucumber to the top and serve it with toasted tortilla chips. I know, it sounds good doesn’t it? If you’re in San Diego, my favorite place for gazpacho is Hob Nob Hill.
