Smooth Tomato and Cucumber Gazpacho

Step 1

Roughly chop the tomatoes, cubanelle pepper, scallions, cucumber, garlic, and jalapeno.

Step 2

Puree all the vegetables, along with the bread, olive oil, and sherry vinegar in a blender until smooth. You may need to add up to 1/2 cup of water to thin out the soup a bit. Add the water a couple of tablespoons at a time until you are happy with the consistency. If the ingredients are too much for your blender, split the soup into 2-3 batches.

Step 3

Set a fine mesh strainer over a large bowl. Pour the pureed soup into the strainer and work it through the strainer, discarding the solids. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Step 4

Let the soup chill for 2-3 hours, or overnight.

Step 5

If desired, garnish with finely sliced scallions, minced jalapeno, chopped parsley/cilantro, or a little finely diced tomato or cucumber.