This recipe is reprinted with the permission of its author and is his mother's recipe for gazpacho

Gazpacho Andaluz

Vegans take note! This is prepared the way they make it in Granada and is typical of Andalusia (southern Spain). The recipe is simpler in Spain, where the vegetables are smaller and the blenders are bigger. In the U.S. I have to cut the cucumbers, onions and bell peppers in half. So where I say "small", think: half of an average sized...

First, the solids:
Put the ingredients into the blender in the following order:

Second, the liquids:
The correct ratio of oil & vinegar is a matter of taste. Play with it. Blend the contents for a few minutes, until everything has been well mixed up. Then pour the liquid through a strainer into a bowl. You must strain it. You can then pour it into a pitcher and serve it over plenty of ice, or put it in a tightly sealed container and take it to the beach. Some bread for dipping is nice. Some folks like to garnish it with finely chopped cucumber. Take note, the most sensitive ingredient is the tomato. It should be as ripe as possible, not refrigerated and the skin should not be broken (as is often the case with ripe tomatoes).

Please let me know how much you love this, or if you have any suggestions. You will probably notice the quality improve as the season progresses and the vegetables become more fresh. Gazpacho should keep for at least a week in the fridge. I haven't had the guts to push the envelope.

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