Smoked Paprika Gazpacho

This summer I was lucky enough to be part of a wine bottling event. After we were finished bottling all of the wine, we sat down and had a lovely Mediterranean style luncheon outside on the farm. This Gazpacho was served at the luncheon. I loved it so much I asked for the recipe:

Place a cup of tomato juice in a bowl with a 2 inch piece of a baguette and soak for a while.

15 ripe tomatoes (I use Romas)

1 and 1/2 English cukes

3 clove garlic

sea salt to taste

2 (or a tad more -- to taste) -- SMOKED paprika

Chop the above

then add to a blender all of the ingredients -- do so in batches.  Place in a large bowl where you can mix with a spoon.  But really blend until smooth -- you may want to blend twice.

Put some of the liquid back in the blender and then add 1/4 (or a tad more based on taste) a Sherry vinegar or a white wine vinegar.  Then add while the blender is running a cup of olive oil in a slow stream.

Place all of the liquid in the bowl and stir in the liquid that has been mixed with the oil and vinegar.  be sure it is all integrated.  Chill.

Garnish:

Chop fine 1/2 English cuke

1/2 red pepper

1/2 small red onion

mix with salt and pepper, and a tablespoon of olive oil and a teaspoon of vinegar (to taste -- I almost always add a splash more).  Chill.  Add a spoonful to each bowl.

I make my croutons as well -- in a good skillet add olive oil and garlic salt, add in pieces of baguette -- I would make the pieces fairly big -- say a half inch slice off the baguette -- brown in the skillet and flip to brown on both sides.  Then when cool, cut into small squares.