Salmorejo

Rich, creamy chilled tomato soup that is perfect for hot summer days.

Prep Time: 15

Chilling time: 30

Total Time: 45

Course: lunch, Soup, Tapas

Cuisine: Spanish

Keyword: chilled soups, classic Spanish recipes, fresh tomatoes, quick and easy, summer salads, vegetarian

Servings:

Calories: 212kcal

1 kg vine-ripened tomatoes peeled, cored and chopped
600 ml cubed bread from a day old, slightly dry/stale ciabatta or rustic white loaf crust removed.
1 garlic clove
1 teaspoon sherry vinegar
1/4 tsp saffron threads (optional) soaked in a tbsp of water for 5 minutes
120 ml water less if tomatoes are quite juicy
60 ml extra-virgin olive oil plus more for serving
Sea salt
2 hard-boiled eggs peeled and chopped
2-3 slices serrano ham chopped

Bring a pot of water to boiling. Make an X on the bottom of the tomatoes and place in the boiling water for no more than a minute.
Remove from the pot with a slotted spoon and place them into a bowl of cold water to cool them just enough to handle.
Drain and then peel the tomatoes over the bowl to catch all the juice using a knife or just your fingers. Remove the core, and roughly chop.
Place the chopped tomatoes and their juices, along with the bread, garlic, sherry vinegar, saffron threads (if using) into a blender. Add the water, a bit at a time, puréeing on high speed until very smooth, about 1 minute. If The tomatoes are quite juicy, you may not need the full 120 ml of water.
With the blender on, drizzle in the 1/4 cup of olive oil until incorporated. Season with salt.
Cover and refrigerate until cold, at least 30 minutes.
Note: For a velvety, satiny texture, push the puréed soup through a fine sieve before refrigerating.
Serve garnished with the chopped eggs and ham, and drizzled with olive oil.
For a strictly vegetarian version, omit the egg and ham and garnish with some chopped fresh tomato instead.
The soup will keep, refrigerated in an airtight container for 2-3 days

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