Andalusian Gazpacho

10 servings (12 cups)

On a hot summer day, this wonderful soup is served ice-cold.

• 2 cups dry small white (navy)
     beans, soaked overnight
     Or 3 cans of small white beans - drained
• 1 medium cucumber
• 1 medium green bell pepper
• 3 medium skinned tomatoes
• 2 stalks celery
• 5 scallions
• 1 medium ripe avocado
• 46 ounces can tomato juice
• 2 cloves minced garlic
• 1 bunch small parsley
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh basil
• 1 Tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 6 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 2 teaspoons salt

Peeling Tomatoes: Cut out the stem; plop tomatoes into boiling water for about 1 minute; remove from water with a slotted spoon and immediately drop into a bowl of cold water and ice cubes (to stop the cooking process); peel should practically slide off easily with the help of a paring knife.

Drain the beans after the overnight soaking. Cover with fresh water in pressure cooker and cook for 30 minutes...til tender. (Or, after draining, cover with water in a pot and bring to a boil; lower heat, cover and simmer about 90 to 120 minutes...until tender.)

Drain beans. Measure out 3 1/2 cups cooked beans for the soup. (Or measure out 3 1/2 cups beans from 3 cans of drained cooked small white beans).

Peel cucumber and discard peel. Remove seeds and cut into 1/2-inch cubes. Remove and discard stems and seeds from bell pepper; cube bell pepper. Dice tomatoes into 1/4;-inch cubes. Slice celery 1/4-inch cubes. (I prefer to take a short-cut and pull out my Cuisinart 6X6 blade and cut up the cucumber, bell pepper, tomatoes and celery all together.)

Trim root ends from green onions and slice crosswise about 1/2-inch thick slices. Dice avocado into 1/4-inch cubes. (Reserve 10 small, perfect sprigs of parsley for garnish.) Mince remaining parsley, enough to equal 1/3 cup. Mince basil to equal about 1/3 cup. Mince oregano to equal about 1 Tbls.

Combine EVERYTHING (except the 10 sprigs of parsley) in a large plastic container. Stir to mix thoroughly and chill 4 to 12 hours. Serve in soup bowls, each garnished with a sprig of parsley.

Bon appetit!