A bowl of thick celeriac soup can be a meal in
itself.
The flavor of celery blended with potatoes and
onion is a winning combination.
Blanch the tomatoes in hot water for 5 minutes.
Peel and core them and cut into chunky pieces.
In a food processor fitted with a metal blade,
purée the tomatoes in batches.
Peel the shallots and add to the last batch of
tomatoes.
Turn out the mixture into a large bowl, after
passing it through a sieve to remove the seeds.
Peel one cucumber, halve it lengthways and scoop
out any large seeds.
Cut into small pieces and blend in the food
processor, adding the oil and lemon juice throughout the blending
process.
Add the cucumber mixture to the tomato purée,
season with salt and pepper and add a few drops of Tabasco sauce.
Mix well, cover and refrigerate for several
hours.
Peel and chop the onion and set aside, covered,
in the refrigerator.
Peel the second cucumber, halve it and remove the
seeds.
Dice it and refrigerate.
Char the peppers in the oven or under the grill
and discard the skin, stem, ribs and seeds.
Chop into small pieces and refrigerate.
Before serving mix all the prepared vegetables
together.
Add a few ice cubes to the soup and serve in
individual bowls.
Garnish with croûtons.
Serves 8
Note : Nothing compares with fresh asparagus,
which, when at its best, grows in sandy soil. Some sand always clings to
the top as it pushes through the earth, so wash it well to eliminate all
traces of sand. On a hot summer's evening, with a glass of chilled white
wine, Spanish gazpacho soup is one of the most perfect of the world's
country style vegetable dishes.
