Ignacio Blanco is a friend from Galicia, the northwestern corner of Spain. He taught me this delicious (and, yes, traditional, though it is cooked) gazpacho. Best made in August, when all these vegetables are at their peak.

　　

Ingredients

makes 4 servings

　　4 ripe tomatoes

　　2 small or 1 medium eggplant, peeled and cut into large chunks

　　4 small or 2 medium zucchini, cut into large chunks

　　2 medium onions, peeled and cut into large chunks

　　About 10 garlic cloves, peeled

　　1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

　　1/4 cup sherry vinegar

　　Salt and black pepper to taste

　　4 slices stale good-quality bread, crusts removed, torn up

　　Garlic croutons (page 580) or roasted tomatoes (page 493) for garnish

　　

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 400°F. In a roasting pan, combine the tomatoes, eggplant, zucchini, onions, garlic, and olive oil; roast until the eggplant is tender, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes.

　　

Step 2

Turn the mixture into a bowl and add the vinegar, salt, pepper, 1 quart water, and bread. Refrigerate and let sit several hours or overnight.

　　

Step 3

Use a food processor or blender to blend the mixture until smooth. Put it through a food mill or strainer and discard the solids. Check the seasoning, garnish with garlic croutons or roasted tomatoes, and serve.

　　The Best Recipes in the World by Mark Bittman. © 2005 by Mark Bittman. Published by Broadway Books. All Rights Reserved.MARK BITTMAN is the author of the blockbuster The Best Recipes in the World (Broadway, 2005) and the classic bestseller How to Cook Everything, which has sold more than one million copies. He is also the coauthor, with Jean-Georges Vongerichten, of Simple to Spectacular and Jean-Georges: Cooking at Home with a Four-Star Chef. Mr. Bittman is a prolific writer, makes frequent appearances on radio and television, and is the host of The Best Recipes in the World, a 13-part series on public television. He lives in New York and Connecticut.