The Best Gazpacho Recipe in the World

Luckily, my father has agreed to share his gazpacho recipe with the world. The world should be really, really excited.

For those of you who don't know what gazpacho is, it's a cold, tomato-based soup that varies from recipe to recipe but generally includes some sort of spicy thing, a lot of tomato juice, and chopped or pureed vegetables. It's incredibly refreshing in the summer, and it's incredibly good for you. If you're freaked out by could soup, stop it.

From mon papa:

This gazpacho is at once light and bites. It is very refreshing and a lovely excuse for lots of vinegar.

Good, Great, Grand Gazpacho

• 4 medium sized tomatoes, skinned and diced. Seed them or not, as you prefer.
• 1 cucumber, skinned, seeded, and diced
• 3 or 4 good sized chopped scallions sized to match dice
• 1 red and 1 green pepper, seeded and diced
• about 6 cups of good tomato juice
• 1 habanero pepper
• 1/3 cup good quality olive oil
• 2/3 to 1 cup vinegar to taste
• Salt and pepper to taste

1. Combine ingredients (except oil, vinegar, habanero and salt and pepper) in a large mixing bowl.

2. Remove two or three cups of juice and veggies to a blender/food processor and add chili according to your taste; I prefer a single habanero, minus the stem.

3. Blend until the pepper is thoroughly minced, then add back to the bowl. [Editor's note: I'm still an infant when it comes to spicy food, and I find that it helps to do this in small amounts so that you can control the level of heat you're adding to the soup. I'm trying to be big and cool and unafraid of the heat like mon papa, but it's tough!]

4. Combine the mixture with the olive oil, vinegar (I use a mix of red, tarragon white, and balsamic), and salt and pepper to taste.

5. Chill briefly and serve over avocado and sour cream or crème fraiche.

(Goes nicely with crab cakes.)

Et voilà!

I know that everyone in the world likes their gazpacho in different ways, but this is a fantastic recipe. The vinegar is my favorite component because it makes the gazpacho taste fresh (well, fresher, I guess). The best way I've ever had it is served over homemade garlic croutons, diced avocado, and a huge dollop of sour cream (the man's a good cook).

I'm going to the store right now to buy the ingredients for this deliciousness. You should too!