"I'd Rather Do Anything But Cook" - Super Easy, Super Fast "Fire Island Gazpacho"

Every soup has a story, right? 

Of course they don't. I just made that up.  But this soup does. 

Many years ago, in the "BMGS" era (Before Mr. Goo Shoes), I did what many young, single New York City women did…I took a share in a summer house in Fire Island, NY.

That first summer, I met my BFF. She and I are still Besties, to this day :) :) :)

Fire Island holds a special place in my heart, because that is where I also met Mr. Goo Shoes, a couple of summers later. I'll tell that story on another day.  

In case you are unfamiliar with the concept of a share house, it is when a bunch of people chip in to rent a house for the summer.  You generally get every other weekend with a "half share," which also allows you the privilege of taking your vacation during the week. 

It was while my BFF and I were on vacation, that we first made this Gazpacho recipe.  But before we get into that, you need to know a little bit about Fire Island.  

You don't, really, but it does help set the scene. 

Fire Island is a barrier island off the coast of Long Island, and you have to take a ferry to get there. 

There are no cars allowed on the island, which is what makes it so special. 

That, and it has the most beautiful beaches. 

To get around, you either walk or bike.   All of your worldly beach-ly possesions (groceries, luggage, beach chairs, etc.) are transported by wagon, preferably the Radio Flyer variety. The wagon is Fire Island's version of the trunk of your car. When you leave the island, you park your wagon at the ferry dock, so it is there waiting for you when you return. 

There are some restaurants on Fire Island, but when we were young and single, it was not in the budget to eat out every night.  Fortunately, my BFF enjoyed cooking, so when she found this recipe for Gazpacho, I was definitely up for trying it.  

We took our little red wagon to the market, and got the few ingredients that we needed…a couple of cans of whole tomatoes, some fresh veggies, cilantro and a few other things.  

Chop, chop chop…

…and we had ourselves some gazpacho.

There was enough for several days, and I can tell you, there was nothing better than coming home from a hot day at the beach, and sitting down to a cold bowl of gazpacho. 

Are you ready to give it a try? 

Before we get to the recipe, there are a couple of very important things to note:

Number 1: You must make this in advance…at least two hours, but preferably the day before, so the soup is thoroughly chilled and the flavors can meld. 

Number 2: Make sure you have some breath mints on hand! The recipe calls for three cloves of garlic, plus onion…and remember…it's raw, and oh-so-potent. You can always cut down on the garlic. I only use one clove. 

But trust me…it's so good, it will be worth having killer breath for a day week. 

And…

                                      It's Tasty.

It's Refreshing.

It's Low-calorie.

It's Healthy.

It's Super Easy and Super Fast.

This recipe is so old, I can't give credit to it's rightful owner. It was probably an ad for either the whole tomatoes or the vegetable juice.  And, of course, I added "Fire Island" to it's name.  

Fire Island Gazpacho

Put these ingredients into a blender and process to a coarse puree (you will need to do this in two batches):

1/2 Medium Onion (cut into 4 pieces)
1/2 Peeled Cucumber (cut into 4 pieces)
1/2 Green Pepper (cut into 4 pieces)
3 Cloves Garlic (*I only use one*)
42 Oz. Canned Whole Peeled Tomatoes, drained
1 Cup Spicy V-8 Vegetable Juice
3 Tbsp. Lemon Juice (juice of one lemon)
2 Tbsp. Red Wine Vinegar
2 Tbsp. Olive Oil
3/4 Tsp. Salt
1/4 Tsp. Pepper
1/2 Tsp. Tobasco Sauce (or to taste)
1/2 Tsp. Worcestershire Sauce

Add to pureed mixture:

1/2 Cucumber, diced
1/2 Green Pepper, diced (you can also add yellow pepper for color).
1/2 Cup Cilantro, chopped

Chill in refrigerator at least two hours, or better still, overnight. 




Are you a cold soup person?

If not, maybe this one will convert you.

Enjoy!

Until next time,

Ms. Toody

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