Completely winning for summer lunch or dinner. Easy to make and preserves in the fridge for many days. Serves 6.
INGREDIENTS
- 2 one-inch slices of good white bread, crusts removed
- 1 large clove of garlic
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar (I use a little less)
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 1 red or green bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and chopped
- ½ cucumber, peeled, seeded, and chopped
- 3 pounds (about 9 medium-size) ripe tomatoes, cored and chopped.
- You may want to peel and seed them for a smoother soup, but the peel adds a lot of flavor. (I leave the peel on)
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
Condiments:
- ½ cucumber, peeled, seeded and diced
- ½ large red pepper, peeled, seeded and diced
- 2 firm, ripe tomatoes, cored and diced
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 2 one-inch slices of white bread, crusts removed, cut into ½ inch cubes
PREPARATION
- Soak the bread in water to cover. Place the garlic in a blender and finely mince. Squeeze the bread dry and add to the garlic and whirl. Combine the olive oil and vinegar and with the motor running, gradually add to the bread. This will produce a thick white sauce. Transfer to a bowl.
- Put the onion, pepper, cucumber, and tomatoes in the blender-in batches if you have a smaller work bowl-and blend until smooth. Pour into a large container, stir in the bread mixture and combine well. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and refrigerate several hours until very cold and the flavors have blended.
- Arrange the vegetable condiments in an oval dish. Heat the olive oil and cook the bread cubes until golden. Drain and put in a small dish.
From: To The Heart of Spain (Ann and Larry Walker)