Summertime Gazpacho with Olives and Avocado

Gazpacho Soup

My foodie friends are always asking me what vegetables and fruits are in season right now. How do I know what produce to buy and when? I consult a handy chart that I found on the CUESA (Center for Urban Education and Sustainable Agriculture) website. Print out a copy and keep it taped to the inside of a kitchen cupboard so you can reference it often. There is one for vegetables, and one for fruit and nuts. These charts will tell you what to look forward to at the markets month by month and can help you plan your meals for the week.

Already, June is just around the corner and tomatoes are hitting the stands in droves. But often the juiciest and most delicious specimens are not the most gorgeous, especially this early in the season. Don’t pass up a tomato just because it is not perfectly round and smooth; this refreshing gazpacho gives those odd-shaped and dimpled fellows a delicious reason for being. While rooting through my freezer for leftovers one night, I came upon a wedge of country olive bread, tossed it in a bowl with some tomatoes, cukes and roasted peppers, and this soup was born.

Serves 8

6 medium very ripe organic tomatoes (about 2 pounds), quartered, seeds squeezed out

1 large red bell pepper, roasted, peeled, and seeded

1/2 red onion, peeled

1 hothouse cucumber, peeled and seeded

2 thick slices (about 4 ounces) olive bread

1 (28-ounce) can tomato purée

1/4 cup olive oil

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

Salt and cayenne pepper to taste

1 large firm-ripe avocado

Juice of 1 lemon

1. Coarsely chop first 5 ingredients and place in a large bowl.

2. Add tomato purée, olive oil, vinegar, a generous sprinkling of salt, and a dash of cayenne pepper, and toss to combine. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least 4 hours or preferably overnight.

3. In a blender or food processor, purée the vegetable mixture to desired texture (I like mine smooth). Adjust seasoning with additional salt and cayenne pepper as desired.

4. Cut the avocado in half and remove the pit. Scoop out the flesh, dice, and sprinkle with lemon juice. Serve soup cold, with a tablespoon or so of the avocado dice in each bowl.

Try some hearty Plum Tomato Soup with Baby Grilled Cheese Sandwiches.