Please enjoy this Frugal Japan summer vegetable favorite — now is a great time of year to enjoy delicious summer vegetable recipes for half the usual cost.
(For those not in the know, gazpacho is a cold tomato base soup originating in Spain. My grandmother made a wonderful version, so I always thought it was a traditional Southern food! Little did I know it was originally European.)
Ingredients
Vegetables:
Ripe tomatoes (1 kg, or 8 or 9 medium-size tomatoes)
(Note: Apparently, only the very red tomatoes will work. The paler pinkish tomatoes do not have enough flavor to make a good soup.)
Onion (1/2)
Small green peppers (3)
Cucumbers, peeled (2)
Chop the above vegetables until they are chunky.
Seasoning:
Stale bread, broken up into crumbs (30g.)
Garlic, peeled and crushed (one clove — you can add more according to taste)
Olive oil (5 to 6 tablespoons or oosaji)
Salt (1 to 2 tablespoons according to taste)
Wine vinegar (3 to 3 1/2 tablespoons — other types of vinegar may be used)
Cumin, if you have it (a little to taste)
Instructions:
Add the mixed seasonings to the chopped vegetables in a bowl. Mix well.
Let the mixture “marinate” for 2-3 hours, preferably in the refrigerator.
Run the mixture through a blender. Add one cup of water to thin out the mixture.
Very easy, and very refreshing for summer. Serve in a chilled dish and with parsley sprigs for garnish.
© 2004 Wendy J. Imura.