Gazpacho (also soup)

Wash all produce. Core and roughly chop the tomatoes, then peel (if desired) and roughly chop the cucumber, seed and roughly chop the green bell pepper, and peel and coarsely chop the white onion.

Mince the garlic and set aside so its flavor can mellow while you prepare the rest of the soup.

Tear the Country Bread into pieces and place in a bowl with enough Water to cover; let it soak for 5–10 minutes until soft, then gently squeeze out excess water and add the soft bread to the blender or food processor.

Add the chopped Tomato, Cucumber, Green Bell Pepper, White Onion and minced Garlic to the blender with the soaked bread and pulse until the mixture is uniformly smooth or slightly textured, according to your preference.

With the blender running, stream in the Extra-Virgin Olive Oil to help emulsify the soup, then add the Sherry Vinegar and season with Sea Salt; taste and adjust acidity, salt or olive oil as needed. If the soup is too thick, thin with a little more water and pulse to combine.

For a silky finish (optional), pass the blended soup through a fine-mesh sieve into a large bowl, pressing with a spoon to extract as much liquid as possible.

Cover and refrigerate the gazpacho for at least 2 hours (overnight is best) so the flavors meld and the soup chills thoroughly.

Meanwhile, toss the Small Bread Cubes with a little extra olive oil and a pinch of salt and toast in a 400°F (200°C) oven or in a skillet until golden and crisp; these will be your crunchy garnish.

Serve the chilled gazpacho in bowls, finish with a drizzle of olive oil, a few toasted bread cubes, and, if you like, a small dice of cucumber or bell pepper for texture.