Gazpacho is a cold tomato-based soup and is a speciality of Andalucía, served in restaurants and bars. In bars, it tends to be more liquid and is drunk from a glass whereas in restaurants it is normally served in a bowl with a garnish of chopped vegetables.

The important thing is to chill it thoroughly before serving. Some people add ice but this tends to water it down too much. There are many different ways of preparing it.

There are two ways of preparing gazpacho: you can either use a blender and then pass it through a sieve, or you can use a food mill (a mouli). The important thing is to get rid of all the pips, skins, etc. First, blend and sieve, or mill, all the vegetables into a large bowl. Then squeeze the water out of the bread roll and add to the tomato/vegetable mixture. Add two tablespoons of olive oil and a tablespoon of vinegar. Season with salt and blend well. Check the taste and add as much water as necessary depending on whether you will be drinking or eating it with a spoon. Chill thoroughly before serving. If you are using bowls, finely chop some cucumber, green pepper, tomato, and hard-boiled egg to garnish.

Preparation

First, heat the oil in a large frying pan and then gently fry the sliced potatoes until almost soft, stirring from time to time so that they don't burn on the bottom of the pan. Add the onion and the green pepper and continue frying until all the vegetables are soft. Drain the vegetables in a colander to get rid of the excess oil. Beat the eggs in a bowl and season with salt and pepper. Add the potatoes, etc. and mix well and check seasoning. Heat a little oil in a frying pan on a moderate heat. Pour in the potatoes and eggs and shake the frying pan from time to time so that the omelette doesn't stick to the bottom. Once the bottom of the omelette has set, turn the heat down low and cover the pan. After about ten minutes, turn the omelette by placing either a flat plate or saucepan lid on the frying pan and quickly turning over. Gently slide the omelette back into the frying pan and continue frying, once again shaking the pan from time to time so that it doesn't stick to the bottom, until it has set all the way through.