Recipe of the Week: Gazpacho [del.icio.us]

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Hie thee to the nearest farmers market, grocery store or neighbor's garden, get some "real," (not commercially grown) tomatoes, and make gazpacho. This recipe is our personal favorite. It's delicious, quite low in calories and fat, and very good for you.

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46-ounce can tomato juice (large can)1 medium onion, chopped2 large tomatoes, peeled and chopped1 green pepper, chopped1 cucumber, peeled, seeded, chopped2 scallions or green onions, chopped2 large cloves of garlic, crushed1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves2 tablespoons olive oil2 tablespoons fresh lime juice2 tablespoons red wine vinegar1-1/2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice1 teaspoon dried whole tarragon1 teaspoon dried whole basil1 teaspoon ground cumin1 teaspoon honey1/2 teaspoon salt1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepperTabasco sauce to taste (anywhere from a few to several drops, but don't use more or you'll overpower the other flavors)First of all, use the freshest, best vegetables you can find. And don't try to get by with reconstituted lemon and lime juice. Use fresh.

Next, there are some ingredients in good gazpacho that can be omitted, and you will still have a dish that can be called gazpacho. You can, for instance, get along without the basil. If you don't have any tarragon on hand, you can use (in fact, this is really quite good) Tarragon vinegar instead of red wine vinegar. And although I practically have to bite my tongue in saying this, you can substitute parsley for cilantro if you are one of those unfortunate people who just cannot abide the taste of cilantro.

Additionally, you can lower the sodium per serving from 332 mg. to 237 mg. by omitting the salt. That's the way I make it, and I don't miss the salt. But your own personal preferences should rule here. You can mix it up, taste it, and add salt if you like.

Here's another taste treat that's kind to your body and easy on the taste buds: Vegetable Confetti.

Grandma's Cookbook contains these and more than 600 kitchen tested (and time tested) recipes. It's your online cookbook.

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