Macho Gazpacho

I'm addicted to gazpacho these days. I know, a little late in the season... Thank goodness tomatoes are still abundant and cheap here in CA.

It's so easy and refreshing. Here's my dad's Andalucian gazpacho recipe.

Start by soaking a chunk of day-old bread in some ice water (no ice is fine too).

In a blender, fill your blender about 3/4 full with peeled tomatoes (however many that takes)
Add 1 small onion (or 1/2 med to large)
1-2 small cloves of garlic (trust me on this one, a little goes a LONG way)
about 2 T olive oil
1-2 T red wine vinegar
and your soggy chunk of bread

Blend it up, taste it, add salt and pepper to your liking.

My dad likes to put his through a food mill to get rid of all the seeds. I don't mind them (I actually don't even have a food mill, plus I'm a little bit lazy). And if you do decide to put it through a mill, you don't need to remove skins at the beginning.

Ta-da! Serve chilled or at room temperature.

In Sevilla, they have gazpacho bars where you can add hard-boiled egg, onion, cucumbers, and other toppings. I like it with egg, cucumber, and a drizzle of olive oil. De-lish!