There is nothing I like more than Gazpacho on a hot day. Served ice-cold with lashings of diced tomato, cucumber and peppers! Sometimes decorated with a swirl of creme fraiche! It is so delicious, so fragrant – even Zanzibar loves it and he doesn’t really like tomatoes! Perfect for #meatlessmonday

To make a small cauldron full:

Two generous kilos of the best ripe, deep red tomatoes

2 large cloves of garlic

1/2 red pepper

1/2 green pepper

1/4 large sweet red onion

one medium or 1/2 large cucumber

2.5 cups of water

2 tbsp fine olive oil

1 tbsp white wine vinegar

salt and pepper to taste

For decoration – chopped parsley, two diced tomatoes, 3 inches of cucumber peeled and diced, 1/4 red pepper,and 1/4 green pepper diced and  1/4 red onion also diced.

Creme fraiche or sour cream or yogurt to swirl on top.

Oh this is SO easy.

Take the skins off the tomatoes. Peel them rather than scalding them because they’ll get too warm in boiling water, even for a few moments. Cut into small pieces. Put in large bowl. Peel and chop 2 large garlic cloves – add to tomatoes. Take half of a red and half of a green pepper, dice and add to pot. Chop onion and add that too. Finally add the cucumber – peeled and chopped.

Blend thoroughly adding 2.5 cups (20 ozs) water.

When mixture is thoroughly blended – add the oil and vinegar and blend again for a few seconds. Taste – add salt and/or black pepper as desired.

Chill in fridge for at least 2-3 hours.

Serve sprinkled with parsley, (reserving the stalks and twigs for later) and with generous tablespoons of diced tomato, cucumber, peppers and onions.

Add a swirl of creme fraiche or sour cream or yogurt for that certain magic being careful not to let Zanzibar get any on his whiskers!

Finally – decorate with Heckerty’s own broomstick – take the stalks and twigs of parsley  – and lay them on top of the soup!

Serve.

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