Andalusian salmorejo – the cold Spanish soup with tomatoes, bread and olive oil

Cordoba’s thick, velvety cream: ripe tomatoes, bread, garlic and extra-virgin olive oil, served cold with boiled egg and serrano ham.

Salmorejo is Andalusia’s proud cold soup, originating in Cordoba. Thicker and creamier than gazpacho, this soup is made with a few simple ingredients — ripe tomatoes, bread, garlic and extra-virgin olive oil — and is always served very cold, garnished with boiled egg and serrano ham.

Ingredients

• 1 kg ripe tomatoes (large red tomatoes or the “pera” variety)
• 150 g day-old white bread (without crust), torn into pieces
• 1 small clove of garlic (half if large)
• 100 ml extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons wine vinegar (sherry or white)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• To serve: 2 boiled eggs, diced; 50 g serrano ham (jamon), thinly sliced; a drizzle of olive oil

Preparation steps

1. Wash the tomatoes, cut them into quarters and remove the green part. Place them in the blender jar together with the torn bread and let them rest for 10 minutes so the bread absorbs the tomato juices.
2. Add the garlic, salt and vinegar. Blend well until you get a thick, homogeneous cream.
3. With the blender still running, slowly pour in the olive oil in a thin stream — like mayonnaise — until the cream emulsifies and takes on a shine and a deep orange color.
4. Taste and adjust the salt and vinegar to taste. Pass through a fine sieve if you want a completely velvety texture.
5. Pour into a container, cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours (ideally 4) — salmorejo is always served very cold.
6. Serve in chilled bowls, garnished with diced boiled egg, strips of serrano ham and a drizzle of olive oil on top.

Time: 15 min prep + at least 2 hours chilling; no cooking.

Servings: 4 people.