Gazpacho Soup

700 g/11/2 lb tomatoes, skinned, deseeded and
chopped
1 x 10 cm/4 inch piece of cucumber, chopped
1 onion, peeled and sliced
1/2 green pepper, cored, deseeded and chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon chopped thyme
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
salt
freshly ground black pepper
iced water
Garnish:
ice cubes
1/2 green pepper, deseeded and finely diced
1 x 10 cm/4 inch piece of cucumber, finely
chopped
4 celery stalks, trimmed and finely chopped
finely chopped parsley

Put the tomatoes, cucumber, onion, green pepper, garlic, oil, lemon juice, thyme, parsley, and salt and pepper into a blender and work to a puree.

Add enough iced water to make the soup of the desired consistency. The quantity will vary according to the juiciness of the tomatoes, and your preference for a really thick or thin soup.

Chill thoroughly. Float an ice cube in each serving and hand the garnishes in separate bowls. SERVES 4