- 2 pounds yellow tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and roughly chopped
- 2 English cucumbers, peeled, seeded, and roughly chopped
- 1/4 sweet onion, finely diced
- 1 green bell pepper, seeded, and finely diced
- 2 Roma tomatoes, filleted, and finely diced
- 1 red jalapeño pepper, seeded, and finely diced
- 2 green onions, thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup cilantro, finely chopped
- 3 ounces white wine vinegar
- 2 teaspoons salt or to taste
- 6 ounces extra virgin olive oil
- 6 3/4-inch slices of day-old crusty white bread
- 2 ounces olive oil
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon Italian parsley, chopped
Place roughly chopped tomato and cucumber in the work-bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal chopping blade. Process ingredients to a coarse purée.
Transfer purée to a mixing bowl. Fold in sweet onions, Roma tomatoes, red jalapeño, green onions, cilantro, white wine vinegar, and salt to taste. Refrigerate for a minimum of 1 hour before serving.
Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F. Arrange sliced bread on a baking sheet and brush the tops generously with olive oil. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Sprinkle parsley over the top and bake for 8-10 minutes, or until croutons are crisp and golden.
When ready to serve, add water as desired and whisk the gazpacho thoroughly. Pour gazpacho into chilled bowls and top each serving with a crouton. Garnish with a drizzle of olive oil and cracked black pepper.
Yield: 6 servings