Salmorejo

 

This soup is Gazpacho's cousin.

On the surface they seem similar, both a rich red color and loaded with tomatoes. They both feel light and refreshing. Both are loaded with garlic.

That's where the similarities end.

Whereas gazpacho is loaded with veggies, salmorejo gets its heft from a generous dose of olive oil, almonds and toasted bread.

Gazpacho is made at the height of summer, with the freshest vegetables imaginable. Salmorejo is more forgiving. Sure, fresh, ripe tomatoes would probably be best, but it's almost equally delicious in the dead of winter, loaded with canned plum tomatoes.

There's something fantastic about having a soup that tastes this fresh in early spring, months before tomatoes show up in the market. We drank it by the cupful, literally.

I topped it with chopped hard-boiled eggs. The true Spaniard would add chopped ham, but I left it out.

The leftovers froze beautifully and made a perfect meal for another night.




Salmorejo
recipe adapted from Bon Appetit

Ingredients
2 28-ounce cans plum tomatoes
2 slices sandwich bread, toasted and chopped (I used a heartier whole wheat, but white would be fine too!)
1/3 cup slivered almonds, toasted
6 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
2 teaspoons Sherry vinegar
1/2 to 2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Salt to taste
1 hard-boiled egg, chopped
An immersion blender or a blender

In a large bowl (if using an immersion blender) or in batches in your blender, combine bread, almonds and garlic cloves. Pulse until chopped.

Add tomatoes with liquid in batches, blending until very smooth. Add the Sherry vinegar. Slowly add the extra-virgin olive oil, and continue pureeing until the mixture is emulsified and frothy.

Taste, and add extra vinegar and salt to taste.

Chill the soup for at least 2 hours before serving.

Serve garnished with hard-boiled eggs and a drizzle of olive oil.