On day 56 of triple digit hot weather here in Austin, on the edge of breaking records… All I want to eat is something cool and refreshing… What comes to that Spaniard mind of mine is Gazpacho.

Gazpacho is a typical Spanish dish that you can find all over Spain, but that originated in Southern Spain in the region of Andalucia. It’s described as a tomato based, cold uncooked vegetable soup.  If you asked me I would say that it’s a liquid version of a tomato-cucumber salad.

So here is my recipe – to share

4 ripe tomatoes >>> Vine tomatoes or Roma tomatoes are the best

1 Cucumber >>> if you aren’t a fan of cucumber, then use 1/2

1 Italian green pepper >> small/medium size to not overpower

1/4 onion >>> white onion works best, if your onion is strong use less, as this is one main cause of Gazpacho being too strong or provoking heart burn

1 small garlic clove

Put all your ingredients in the blender, make sure it’s all puree. Add Coarse Salt, a pinch of pepper and extra virgin olive oil and vinegar (white wine vinegar is my preference) to taste.

Pour it all into your serving bowl and put in the fridge for at least an hr before you are going to eat it!  It’s best chilled.

A couple of notes:

– You can add some water if you think it came out to thick.

– if your tomatoes were very juicy and it’s too watery, add a bit of bread and blend it all again.

– I like to add what we called “trompicones“, which is finely chopped up veggies to the gazpacho when I serve it in a bowl. Usually: cucumber, onion, green pepper and then little pieces of bread, or even croutons.

Hope you like it! It’s one of my daughter’s favorites! – And I learned it from my Abuela, so you know it has to be good!