gazpacho

So if you've been to the grocery store lately, or during the months of July and August at any point in your life, you'll know that locally grown produce is in season. If you grow your own produce, you know that your garden right now is a place of dreams and horrors simultaneously. How many cucumbers can grow in a single day?! How many tomatoes can one person eat in a week?! The answer to both questions is: many. Many, many, many.

So what to do with this influx of nature's bounty? You could make salads - millions of salads. Or, you can try something new.

Gazpacho is a spanish soup served both raw and cold. If made when tomatoes and cucumbers and peppers are in season, it's a feast for the senses. While some might consider it 'gourmet' Gazpacho is actually the easiest meal in the world to make. Remember - because it is served raw, you want to use the best quality everything - produce, oil, vinegar and even salt. Some recipes call for the soup to be strained but I don't bother.

Serve this soup with some crusty bread and cheese and impress.

Ingredients

1 bell pepper - seeded and chopped (any colour is fine)

3 ripe tomatoes - chopped

1 small piece red onion

1 clove garlic

1/2 english cucumber - peeled and chopped

1 hot pepper - seeded and chopped

1 cup good quality stale bread - cubed

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 tbsp red wine vinegar

salt & pepper to taste

Garnishes (optional)

raw sweet peas - shelled

grilled shrimp - cut into bite sized pieces

basil leaves

multicoloured cherry tomatoes

creme fraiche

olive oil

Method

1. blend all ingredients in a blender until smooth

2. refrigerate overnight to allow flavours to marry

3. serve in chilled bowls and garnish with items of your choice

4. drizzle with olive oil and/or creme fraiche