Chunky Gazpacho

Adapted from a recipe for gazpacho that used to be served during the summer at Sam's Station restaurant in Corvallis. This gazpacho is chunky, mild and sweet. If you like it soupy, you can whiz up some, or all, of the batch in a jar blender or a hand blender in a deep bowl. Good with a dab of sour cream on top, and with slices of fresh baguette on the side.

2 large or 3 small servings:

Ingredients:

2-3 cups of fresh tomatoes chopped into 1/2 inch chunks, in season, or one 16 oz

can of chopped tomatoes (preferably organic)

2 bell peppers, green or red, or one of each, seeded and chopped into 1/2 inch

chunks

3-6 cloves of garlic (depending on taste), chopped fine

2-3 green onions (scallions), sliced fine

1 cup of fresh chopped parsley leaves (curly or flat, but I prefer curly)

3 tbsp of light olive oil

1 tbsp of fresh lemon juice (from about 1/2 of a small lemon) (optional)

2 tbsp of red wine vinegar (or 3 tbsp if no lemon juice is used)

1 tsp of good quality soy or tamari sauce

1/4 cup white sugar or Splenda

dash black pepper

dash of red chili powder (optional)

• Heat garlic cloves in microwave on HI for about 12 sec to make peeling easy, peel and chop fine

• Wash, core, and chop tomatoes (if using fresh), add to a medium sized mixing bowl

• Wash, core, seed and chop bell peppers, add to bowl

• Wash, cut off root ends, and finely slice green onions, including part of the green leaves, add to bowl

• Wash and finely chop parsley leaves, taking off most of stems, add to bowl

• Add chopped garlic, lemon juice, vinegar, olive oil, soy sauce, pepper

• Mix all ingredients well

• Chill before serving, good for 3-4 days in refrigerator