Gazpacho 2011

Every year I post my gazpacho recipe on this blog. It has become for me, a signal that summer is here. Every year the end-result is a little different, depending on what recipe I've consulted. This year, I didn't consult any recipes and just went with what I had in the vegetable drawer and the pantry...which worked out beautifully.

While adhering to most of the classic ingredients, essentially the soup becomes a chilled tomato-based, fresh vegetable soup.

Making the soup is incredibly easy. And since it doesn't involve a hot oven or stove, it's perfect for the hot days we've been experiencing lately.

Just a few steps and you're done:

• Fine chop the vegetables in a food processor and then place in a large bowl. 

• Pour V-8 juice over the chopped veggies in the bowl. 

• Begin to layer the flavors with white wine vinegar, balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, a splash of hot sauce, and a dash of Worcestershire sauce, a healthy pinch of kosher salt. Keep adjusting the flavors until you reach the acidity that you desire. 

• Chill well for several hours to let the flavors combine.

And then enjoy! I made such a large batch that I ended up freezing several one portion freezer bags of soup that I could have on hand for a quick lunch.

It's one of my favorite summer dishes: full of vitamins, low in fat, and incredibly flavorful.