The Spanish creamy tomato soup, salmorejo, is super delicious and refreshing on a hot summer day, but it can easily be enjoyed all year round.
Salmorejo is a cold soup, created on a base of tomatoes, like the more famous gazpacho. The difference is that bread is added to salmorejo, and that there are only tomatoes and garlic in a salmorejo, where the gazpacho also has other vegetables added. Salmorejo originates from Cordoba, where temperatures are very high in summer, making the soup a refreshing accompaniment to either lunch or dinner.
The secret of a good, creamy salmorejo is the olive oil. Choose a good quality extra virgin olive oil and you are sure to serve a delicious, thick and creamy soup with a nice salmon-orange colour.
This version of salmorejo was served to me by chef Victor at the Taller Andaluz de Cocina food workshop at the Triana market in Seville. It’s easy to make and tastes great.
Recipe for salmorejo
Ingredients (for 6 people)
1 kg ripe red tomatoes
120 g day-old white bread
120 ml extra virgin olive oil
1 clove of garlic
1 dessertspoon sherry vinegar
1 grated dessert spoon salt
Garniture
Minced Iberian ham and chopped hard-boiled eggs
How to do it
Remove the green stem from the tomatoes and cut them into quarters. Put the tomatoes in the blender.
Add the bread. If it is dry, soak it in water first. Then add the garlic, vinegar and salt.
Blend all the ingredients into a creamy mass.
Blend again and slowly add oil in a thin stream to the soup is until you have a salmon-colored, creamy soup.
Season to taste and add more sherry vinegar and salt if necessary. Be aware that both vinegar and garlic taste stronger when it has been in the fridge.
Refrigerate the soup for at least two hours.
Garnish the soup with chopped eggs, ham in small pieces and a few drops of extra virgin olive oil. [printfriendly]
