Salmorejo (chilled bread and tomato soup)

When tomatoes are in season, make the most of them io this classic Spanish soup.

Salmorejo (chilled bread and tomato soup). Credit: Everyday Gourmet with Justine Schofield

• serves

  6

• prep

  20 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• 1 kg ripe tomatoes
• 200 g two-day-old rustic bread, such as pasta dura (crust removed)
• 1 clove garlic
• 125 ml extra virgin olive oil
• 10 g salt (about 1½ tsp, or to taste)
• 3 hard-boiled eggs, whites chopped (reserve yolks for other uses)
• 100 g jamon Serrano, chopped
• olive oil for drizzle

Chilling time: 3 hours.

Instructions

1. Wash the tomatoes, and roughly chop. Place in a blender and blend to a smooth puree. Pour the puree through a fine sieve over a bowl to remove the seeds and skin. Discard the seeds and skin.
2. Return the puree back to the blender. Break the bread into small pieces into the blender.
3. Peel and chop the garlic and add to the blender. Add the olive oil and season with salt. Blend to a smooth puree. Chill in the fridge for 3 hours.
4. Pour into bowls and decorate with chopped boiled egg and chopped serrano ham and a drizzle of olive oil.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.