Well…it is May and the dog days of summer have arrived, bringing soaring temperatures with them. May is my least favorite month here, in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. The other eleven months are favorites though, as the climate here is just about perfect year round. If you can make it through May, I’d say you’ve got it licked! If you can’t stand the heat don’t turn on the stove. That is why this gloriously good version of Gazpacho reigns as a summer soup. There is no need for turning on a stove because there is no cooking involved! Cooking no…chopping yes, but worth every knife stroke.If you’re too hot and burned out to chop up the ingredients, then by all means throw everything into a blender and blend away. If, on the other hand, you’ve got an air conditioned kitchen and a sharp knife…do it the clown’s way…by hand. The results, I, and those to whom I’ve served it, think are sublime. Serve it icy cold. Best to start preparing this refreshingly zingy, tangy, chunky, spicy, cold, wonder of a summer soup early in the day, so it has plenty of time to chill out in the fridge. Happy Cinco de Mayo!
Ingredients:
1 qt. bottle Clamato juice
16 oz. can whole tomatoes
1 cup minced onion
2 cups minced celery
2 cups minced green pepper
2 cups diced cucumber
3 cloves garlic, pressed through a garlic press
1/2 cup sliced green olives
juice of 1 lime
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/8 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon hot sauce( I used a habanero hot sauce)
Garnishes: Crumbled bacon, garlicky croutons, sour cream, diced avocado, cilantro sprigs
Directions:
Empty the tomatoes into the bowl of either a food processor, or a blender. Pulse briefly, just enough to have a small, chunky, consistency. Pour into a medium to large bowl. Add the Clamato juice. Finely dice the onions, green peppers, and celery. Add to the tomato mix. Peel the cucumbers, slice lengthwise and remove the seeds.(I use a serrated grapefruit spoon). Dice the cucumbers and add to the bowl. Add the olives, oregano, salt, pepper, cayenne pepper, garlic, hot sauce, lime juice, cilantro, vinegar and olive oil. Stir to combine and taste to adjust seasoning. Cover and chill till really cold. To serve, ladle into bowls and top with diced avocado, garlicky croutons, crumbled bacon, a dollop or squiggle of sour cream and sprigs of cilantro.
Yield: 3 qts.
Kitchenclown 