Gazpacho

      There is nothing more Spanish, besides from Tortilla Española (Spanish omelet,) than gazpacho.  Gazpacho is a cold, refreshing and a bit acidic vegetable soup.  Although its main ingredient are red ripe tomatoes, the making of gazpacho also includes cucumbers, onions and garlic.  A complicated arrangements of flavors if we take into account that all of them are consumed raw.  But when well combined, and given the Spanish twist, the end product enters your mouth and immediately your palate recognizes the goodness in all of it, leaving you longing for more.  Particularly, if you are in the middle of Andalusia, Spain, during the summer months, when the temperatures usually break the previous year's record. 
     It is said, that gazpacho comes precisely from Andalusia, a region located in the South of Spain.  There you can find at almost any restaurant different varieties of gazpacho, all of them having in common the use of tomatoes, and the way it is served, always very cold.  The rest of the ingredients could vary in the amount it is made of, or the addition of any other element.  But basically, I found a recipe for gazpacho that I adore, and usually I have it ready in my refrigerator every other week.  So when I am looking to enjoy a cold, refreshing and tasty soup, I do not have to go all the way to Andalusia to get it. 

     Ingredients:

• 2 pounds of red ripe tomatoes plus 2 more tomatoes
• 1 garlic clove (peeled)
• 1/3 cup of green peppers
• 1/4 cup of onions
• 1/2 cup peeled cucumber
• 2 tablespoons of white vinegar
• 3 and 1/2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
• 6 ice cubes
• 1 teaspoon of salt

     Introduce all the ingredients in a blender and mix well.  Gradually increase the speed to the highest. The longer you mix it the better.  It needs to be smooth with a creamy consistency.  Put the soup in the refrigerator for about 2 hours.
     Meanwhile, finely chop extra onions, green peppers, and cucumbers by hand. (Not included in the amounts above, so use any extra you may have) These are to be presented at the table along with the gazpacho.
     Serve the gazpacho in a bowl with the chopped veggies and some croutons on the side. Que aproveche!