Gazpacho

This is sort of shooting from the hip, since I often make this with whatever's on hand. It makes a lot. You could do half of this & be fine.

Ingredients:
1 blender and one large bowl 1 cup boiling water 1 cup cold water or equivalent in ice cubes 2 vegetarian bouillion cubes or 1 can veggie broth 1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs or 2 smallish slices stale bread 1/4 cup olive oil	5 or 6 ripe tomatoes, cut into quarters 2 cucumbers, peeled & cut into large chunks 1 green pepper, seeded & cut into chunks meat of 1 avocado 3 large cloves garlic, minced or garlic-pressed into submission 4 or 5 green onions, chopped

Put the boiling water & 2 bouillion cubes in the blender. Set on puree. Add garlic & chopped onions and blend until you have a smooth greenish liquid. Add the ice, to chill the liquid.
Add the olive oil and about 1/2 the tomatoes, or as many will fit in the blender. When blended smooth, pour most of liquid into bowl, reserving about a cup in the blender.
Add the cucumbers and more tomatoes, to make more liquid. Add the bread crumbs.
Keep adding veggies until all are gone. Pour off liquid into the bowl, as necessary, for room in the blender.
When all veggies are pureed, pour all liquid into bowl. Add salt & fresh-ground pepper to taste. Chill.
This keeps up to a week in the fridge. Great for lunches or dinner salad replacement.

You can also experiment with other veggies. I bet leeks would be good. If you try leeks, omit the onions.
5/25/06