Continuing on the cold noodles post from last week, the hot months are here, and that also means gazpacho. On a hot day, I can eat a gallon of this stuff.

I like to blend my gazpacho (and use V-8), but add reserved chopped ingredients at the end, so there are two textures.

Soup

• 3 or 4 (depending on size) peeled, cored and chopped tomatoes NOTE: if you can’t get ripe tomatoes, use a fine brand of canned tomatoes (28oz)
• 2 cans V-8
• 4 cloves of garlic, chopped
• 1 red jalapeno, chopped
• 1 red pepper, cored, seeded, depithed, and coarsely chopped
• 1 English cucumber, peeled and coarsely chopped
• 2/3 red onion, coarsely chopped
• 1 cup (i.e. 1/2 a 16oz bag of peeled baby carrots) chopped peeled carrots
• 3 green onions, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 bunch flat leaf parsley, leaves only
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon or so sugar
• Few dashes of Worchestshire

Combine all the above in a blender. Blend to your liking. I don’t like it frothy. You can live your own life.

Garnish

• 1/3 red onion, finely diced
• 1/2 English cucumber, peeled and finely diced
• 3 chives, finely chopped
• 1/4 bunch chopped cilantro
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

Stir the above ingredients into the blended soup. Chill in the fridge at least a day.

At times, if I’m feeling a bit randy, I’ll top this off with chopped kalamata olives before eating.