Gazpacho

I loved cold soups in the Summer time and I love Gazpacho. This recipe was posted on the NY Times Cooking page and hails from Seville, Spain. Unlike American gazpachos, this is smooth and creamy, not chunky like most gazpachos here in the U.S. It's more a drink than a soup; in fact, I can't help but think this would make for an excellent Bloody Mary.

Annotated Cooking Notes: Chill your glasses or bowls in the fridge before you serve this soup and it will create a wonderful chilled, salty treat on a hot Summer Day,

About 2 pounds ripe red tomatoes, cored and roughly cut into chunks

1 Italian frying (cubanelle) pepper or another long, light green pepper, such as Anaheim, cored, seeded, and roughly cut into chunks

1 cucumber, about 8 inches long, peeled and roughly cut into chunks

1 small mild onion (white or red), peeled and roughly cut into chunks (I prefer the red)

1 clove garlic

2 teaspoons sherry vinegar, more to taste

Salt

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, more to taste, plus more for drizzling

1. Combine tomatoes, pepper, cucumber, onion and garlic in a blender or, if using a hand blender, in a deep bowl. (If necessary, work in batches.) Blend at high speed until very smooth, at least 2 minutes, pausing occasionally to scrape down the sides with a rubber spatula.

2. With the motor running, add the vinegar and 2 teaspoons salt. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil. The mixture will turn bright orange or dark pink and become smooth and emulsified, like a salad dressing. If it still seems watery, drizzle in more olive oil until texture is creamy.

3. Strain the mixture through a strainer or a food mill, pushing all the liquid through with a spatula or the back of a ladle. Discard the solids. Transfer to a large pitcher (preferably glass) and chill until very cold, at least 6 hours or overnight.

4. Before serving, adjust the seasonings with salt and vinegar. If soup is very thick, stir in a few tablespoons ice water. Serve in glasses, over ice if desired, or in a bowl. A few drops of olive oil on top are a nice touch.