Gazpacho

Yield: 12 1/2 cups

Ingredients

• 8  large tomatoes
• 2  cucumbers
• 1  large green bell pepper
• 1  large yellow bell pepper
• 1  small purple onion
• 1  jalapeño pepper, seeded
• 1  large garlic clove
• 1  (32-ounce) bottle vegetable juice
• 1/3  cup  red wine vinegar
• 1  tablespoon  grated lemon rind
• 1/4  cup  fresh lemon juice
• 2  teaspoons  salt
• 1  teaspoon  paprika
• 2  to 3 teaspoons hot sauce
• Toppings: sour cream, avocado slices, croutons, boiled shrimp, chopped fresh cilantro, chopped fresh mint
• Garnish: green and yellow baby tomatoes, fresh basil sprigs

Preparation

Peel tomatoes and cucumbers. Cut tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers, and onion into quarters. Remove and discard cucumber and bell pepper seeds.

Process vegetables, jalapeno pepper, and garlic in a blender or food processor until almost smooth, stopping to scrape down sides. Transfer mixture to a large bowl, and stir in vegetable juice and next 6 ingredients. Cover and chill, stirring often, 8 hours. Serve with toppings, if desired. Garnish, if desired.