Serves: 4
Total Calories: 149

4 slices white bread, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
vegetable oil for frying the bread
4 cups canned tomato juice
1 green bell pepper, , washed, seeded, and finely chopped
1 medium cucumber, peeled and finely chopped
2 large ripe tomatoes, peeled and finely chopped
1/2 white onion, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
1 ripe avocado (Hass variety preferred)

1. Preheat the oven to 400°. Put the bread cubes on a baking sheet and toast in the oven until dry and beginning to brown about 5 minutes. Remove from the oven. Heat the oil in a skillet until shimmering and fry the toast until crisp and brown. Drain on paper towels and put into a small condiment bowl to serve with the soup.

2. Put half of the chopped green pepper, half of the cucumber and half of the tomatoes in a blender. Put the remaining chopped vegetables into separate small condiment bowls. Put all of the chopped onion in a small condiment bowl. Set the condiment bowls aside until you serve the soup.

3. Add 1 cup of the tomato juice to the blender and purée the vegetables as smoothly as possible. Pour the purée into the bowl with the remaining tomato juice. Add salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour, or up to 6 hours. The soup is best served the day it's made.

4. Shortly before serving, peel and dice the avocado and put it into a small condiment bowl. Arrange all the condiment bowls on the table for each person to add to the soup. Ladle the cold soup into individual bowls and serve.

From "1,000 Mexican Recipes." Copyright 2001 by Marge Poore. Used with permission of the publisher, Wiley Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Nutritional Facts:

Serves: 4
Total Calories: 149
Calories from Fat: 2

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Asparagus Soup
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Basic Chicken Stock
Basic Fish Stock
Bean and Tomato Soup
Black Bean Soup
Carrot Soup
Carrot, Chickpea, and Tomato Soup
Catfish Soup
Cauliflower and Onion Soup
Cauliflower and Pecan Soup
Celery and Corn Soup
Chayote Soup
Cheese in Tomato Broth
Chicken Broth with Chickpeas
Chicken and Avocado Soup
Chicken and Rice Soup
Chicken and Tomato Broth with Vermicelli Pasta
Chicken and Vegetable Soup
Chicken in Red Chile-Tomato Broth
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Chickpea and Corn Soup
Chickpea, Potato, and Tomato Soup
Chilled Zucchini-Cilantro Soup
Coastal Seafood Soup
Cold Chayote Soup
Concepción Bay Scallop Chowder
Corn and Chicken Soup
Corn, Onion, and Jalapeño Soup
Corn, Squash Blossom, and Zucchini Soup
Cream of Fresh Corn and Poblano Chile Soup
Cream of Poblano Chile and Potato Soup
Cream of Spinach Soup
Creamed Onion Soup
Creamy Onion and Meatball Soup
Fava Bean Soup
Fava Bean and Cactus Soup
Green Chile and Tomatillo Soup
Hearts of Palm Soup
Juan’s Garlic and Cactus Soup
Leek Soup
Leek and Rice Soup
Lentil Soup
Maria’s Tomato Gazpacho
Meatball Soup
Mexican Gazpacho
Mixed Vegetable Soup
Mushroom and Onion Soup, Puebla Style
Mushroom and Tomatillo Soup
Onion and Cheese Soup
Oyster Soup
Poblano, Carrot, and Cauliflower Soup
Pork Sparerib Soup
Pork and Red Chile Hominy Soup
Potato, Cactus, and Carrot Soup
Potato, Garlic, and Chipotle Soup
Purée of Chickpea Soup
Puréed Pea Soup
Red Chile Broth with Chicken and Epazote
Richard Sandoval’s Tortilla Soup
Seven Seas Soup
Shredded Beef Soup
Shrimp Tortilla Soup
Shrimp and Hominy Soup
Shrimp in Green Broth
Shrimp in Red Chile Broth
Sonoran Cheese Soup
Spinach Soup Cuauhtemoc
Spinach and Macaroni Soup
Squash Blossom Soup
Sweet Potato Soup
Sweet Potato and Red Pepper Soup
Tarascan Bean Soup
Tomato and Red Bean Tortilla Soup
Tortilla Soup
Tortilla Soup with Pork and Vegetables
Tripe Soup
Turkey Tortilla Soup
Vegetarian Pinto Bean Soup
Walnut Soup
White Bean Soup
White Onion Soup
Winter Squash Soup
Yucatán Lime Soup
Zucchini and Onion Soup
Zucchini, Corn, and Green Chile Soup