Instructions: Gazpacho looks like a liquid salad, but few salads refresh as fast when summer cranks up the temperature. Garnished with croutons and chopped herbs, gazpacho can be served pureed or chunky. On summer evenings in our house, its a meal in itself - and it is simple to make.

A blender of food processor does most of the work. But there are a few tricks to making a great gazpacho. Experts offer the following advice:

* Because gazpacho isnt cooked, you need to give the flavors a chance to blend and for the raw garlic to mellow. The soup is best when allowed to sit overnight, or at least for three hours, in the refrigerator.

* Use a red or yellow bell pepper instead of a green one, which can make soup bitter.

* If the soup has been made hours beforehand, recheck the seasoning before serving. Adjust the salt and vinegar.

* Vine-ripe tomatoes are best for gazpacho, but if you cant find them, dont choose underripe tomatoes. Good-quality canned tomatoes are a better substitute.

Dice a fresh tomato into the soup as a garnish.

* Use a fruity olive oil - any from the south of Spain. Look for one that is greener in color.

* If the ingredients are too much for your blender or food processor, withhold half the liquid (water or tomato juice), puree the vegetables and then mix the remainder of the liquid with the puree.

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