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Salmorejo Cordobés

Serves 4 to 6 Soup vegetarian, Soups

Salmorejo Cordobés

Salmorejo Cordobés hails from the sun-drenched city of Córdoba, where it finds its place in the daily rhythm of home kitchens. Born from a handful of humble ingredients, this dish is a staple on the family table, lovingly prepared without the need for written instructions. It represents the essence of Andalusian culinary tradition, with recipes passed down through generations by word of mouth.

The dish envelops the palate with the lushness of ripe tomatoes, balanced by the richness of olive oil and the tang of sherry vinegar. Each spoonful offers a creamy texture, punctuated by the savory notes of jamón serrano and the subtle firmness of hard-boiled eggs. Salmorejo is best enjoyed chilled, allowing its flavors to meld and refresh on warm days.

Ingredients

  • 1 kgvery ripe tomatoes — quartered
  • 200 gstale white bread — crust removed
  • 150 mlextra virgin olive oil
  • 1 clovegarlic
  • 1 tbspsherry vinegar
  • 80 gjamón serrano — diced, to garnish
  • 2hard-boiled eggs — chopped, to garnish
  • to tastefine sea salt

Method

  1. Start by washing 1 kg of very ripe tomatoes thoroughly under cold running water. Remove the cores and cut them into quarters, ensuring each piece is of a similar size. This helps them blend evenly later.
  2. Take 200 g of stale white bread and tear it into small pieces. Place the bread in a large mixing bowl. The bread will soak up the tomato juices and olive oil, giving the salmorejo its creamy texture.
  3. Peel 1 clove of garlic and crush it lightly with the side of a knife. Add it to the bowl with the tomatoes and bread. This will infuse the mixture with a subtle garlic flavor without overpowering the dish.
  4. Pour 150 ml of extra virgin olive oil over the tomato, bread, and garlic mixture. Add 1 tbsp of sherry vinegar and a generous pinch of fine sea salt. The oil will emulsify with the tomatoes, creating a smooth and rich base.
  5. Using a blender or immersion blender, blend the mixture until it becomes a thick, creamy consistency. The texture should be velvety and smooth, with no visible chunks of bread or tomato.
  6. Taste the mixture and adjust the seasoning with more salt or vinegar if needed. The flavor should be balanced, with a slight tang from the vinegar.
  7. Transfer the salmorejo to a container and chill it in the refrigerator for at least an hour. Chilling allows the flavors to meld and the texture to firm up slightly.
  8. While the salmorejo chills, prepare the garnishes. Finely chop 80 g of jamón serrano and peel and chop 2 hard-boiled eggs. These will add a savory and rich contrast to the creamy soup.
  9. Once chilled, ladle the salmorejo into bowls. Garnish each serving with a sprinkle of chopped jamón and hard-boiled eggs. Drizzle a small thread of extra virgin olive oil on top for added richness before serving.
Cover of Authentic Spanish Cuisine
From the cookbook

Authentic Spanish Cuisine

This recipe is from Authentic Spanish Cuisine by Yassine Sbiti — the Spanish volume in the ComidaTime International Cuisines series.

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