Now,pay attention to the next step as it's rather complicated: Stick all the above in a big pan and whizz it around with a blender.

And - "Roberto es tu tio". There you have it. Stick it in the fridge for a bit, and enjoy an alternative to the red variety. Now, if you should make too much of it, or not enjoy the alternative flavour - I have a suggestion for you. Freeze it as small ice-lolly sticks and take them round to your neighbours. Tell them its a lime flavoured lolly and sit back, get out the mobile and send up the video of their faces to your YouTube channel. I'm sure it will go viral. 

Want more absurd recipes from the Gazpachomonk? Check out the recipe - come  - travel adventure: Inside the tortilla here.

"DE GAZPACHO NO HAY EMPACHO"

"You can't get enough of a good thing" explains this popular saying and certainly during the summer months I'm not sure I could "AGUANTAR" the heat of this peninsula without a glass of Gazpacho at my side, so much that I have come to believe that is the DNA of Iberian cuisine. 

Unfortunately, ask 100 people how best to make the dish and you will get 100 different replies. There are so many variations in quantities and even ingredients that it is almost impossible to provide the definitive gazpacho recipe.  Luckily for you, the Gazpachomonk has been investigating.....



THE HISTORY
The origin of the word gazpacho is uncertain; some say it may be derived from the Mozarab word 'caspa', meaning 'residue' or 'fragments', possibly referring to the chopped vegetables or small chunks of bread that are added to the soup. Others have suggested it comes from the Hebrew word 'gazaz,' meaning again, to break into pieces. 

Roman Builders
One story about the origins of gazpacho was that it was introduced by Roman road builders who used a basic version consisting of bread, water, oil and garlic to not only keep cool, but also nourish themselves during the hot and demanding work. Obviously, this basic version did not contain the tomatoes or peppers that were to be added later. This would come after the conquest of the Americas.

Gazpacho can include: Old bread soaked in water beforehand, lots of good olive oil, vinegar, garlic and of course, mature red tomatoes, green peppers and a few peeled small Spanish cucumbers.

There are a lot of recommendations about peeling tomatoes before-hand, de-seeding, and sieving the vegetables, but it's all down to personal taste. If you have the time and patience to do all the above then you will produce a smoother and more palatable gazpacho. I tend to leave the tomato skins and pips in and blend the lot. This is because I do not like to to spend all day preparing the dish and I enjoy the rougher texture of the blended vegetables. However, everyone must discover his or her own preferences.   

Provided you use the same basic ingredients of mature tomatoes and good olive oil, then you will produce a marvellous liquid salad for those sweltering times of the year when solid foods become far less appetising. 

Gazpacho is one of those raw food dishes that seemingly offer little when broken up into its separate parts, but combine them together in the correct proportions and you create something very special: A revitalising, isotonic drink, low in calories which is considered (quite rightly) to be liquid gold in the mid heat of an Andalusian summer. 

SERVING SUGGESTION
Normally, gazpacho is only available during the months in which the vegetables are in season: From approximately May to October. The cold soup is best enjoyed during the hottest part of the day - around lunchtime. You will begin to notice your body flagging a little about this time, the summer heat has this effect on you, and so you will begin to think about somewhere shady to go and something cool to drink. This is the Gazpacho Moment: You can ask for it in a bowl with a spoon, with toppings of chopped vegetables and croutons, or it can be drunk in a tall glass with ice. 

This recipe is an abridged version of the original that appears in the book Inside the Tortilla. 

The origins of this seasonal beverage can be as misty as the drink itself when the fruit wedges and floating spices are stirred by an appropriate length spoon. 

It has been argued amongst some English-speaking communities that the drink originated somewhere in the British Bahamas, but outside this colonial frame of mind it is considered that Sangria first appeared from the middle of the 19th century during the massive emigration from Iberia to Argentina - where the drink still enjoys a popularity today. In Argentina, the new immigrants were thought to have introduced the cooler and diluted version of a glass of wine to help cope with the long hot summers and the warmer climate.

On the mainland of Spain, Sangria is served everywhere during the summer, and throughout the whole year in the warmer southern provinces. In Spanish, sangre means blood and it is from this description the name derives. A version called 'Sangria a cava' exits in Catalonia which uses a white wine instead of a red - but typically, Sangria is made with red wine, using fresh, seasonal fruit and some fizzy water. Like all the best recipes, the ingredients derive from the left-overs of other meals and it is often the use of wines from the day before - or of the cheaper sort - that end up in a Sangria recipe.

INGREDIENTS
 Red wine.
Fizzy water or fizzy lemonade.
Spices according to taste.
Lemon juice (not the fruit).
Oranges and other fruit cut into chunks or wedges.
Sugar.

PREPARATION
Pour the wine into a pitcher. Add the squeezed lemon juice. Once the remaining fruit has been cut, add it to the mixture and leave it to stand for a few hours. A word of caution: Do not wait until the end to add the fruit, for it will then be purely ornamental. It is also not recommended to add the fizzy water until the moment of serving; otherwise, it will go flat before drinking. 
Don't be surprised if occasionally you are served an extra strong version; some establishments serve a variety of Sangria with vermouth or other spirits.

SERVING SUGGESTION
Serve in a transparent jug, with plenty of ice and a large spoon to stir or fish out the particularly tasty bits of fruit.

Finally, hang a twist of orange peel over the side for presentation. Take the pitcher, a tall tumbler and a four-legged friend outside under the shade of a tree and sip this refreshing summer-time drink, whilst tossing a stick, occasionally, in the direction of a bored Hound.

For more Authentic Summer Survival Recipes, see the whole range in Inside the Tortilla including the history and preparation for Gazpacho, Pippirana, Salmorejo, Almejas, Tomatoe Alinado, Pulpo a la Gallego, Cogollos a la Cordobesa and many more.