tropical gazpacho

It seemed too hot even for Becky's summer minestrone, so I gave this a try. It's from the Moosewood Restaurant Low-Fat Favorites, and it has two secret ingredients -- pineapple and bread -- that give it a nice tanginess and texture, respectively. And they also keep it from feeling like you're eating a giant bowl of salsa, which is my usual complaint with gazpacho.

Also, I didn't have tomato juice, so I used 2 c chopped fresh tomatoes, 1 c canned crushed tomatoes and 1 c water. Worked fine.

4 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
1 1/2 c peeled, seeded, diced cucumbers
1 1/2 c diced red bell peppers (I used green)
1/2 c diced red onion
1 c diced tomatoes
1 c canned unsweetened pineapple chunks in juice
2 T red wine vinegar
generous pinch of cayenne (I used a lot and it's spicy)
1 t ground cumin
1 1/2 c French or Italian bread, crusts removed, torn into chunks
3 c tomato juice
salt and ground black pepper to taste
thin slices of lemon or lime for garnish

In blender or food processor, combine the garlic, 3/4 c of cucumbers, 3/4 c of diced bell peppers, red onions, 1/2 c tomatoes, pineapple and its juice, vinegar, cayenne, cumin, bread chunks and tomato juice. Puree until smooth.

Transfer to a bowl, then stir in remaining diced cucumbers, bell peppers and tomatoes for texture and visual appeal. (I love that direction.) Add salt and black pepper to taste.

Refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours until cold, and serve garnished with lemon or lime slices.