Salmorejo (read sal·mo·re·ho) is a delicious and refreshing tomato puree flavoured with quality wine vinegar and raw garlic. Salmorejo comes from Cordoba, where the poor diggers fought the heat and hunger with this cold dish (if they were really poor, they had to do without eggs and Jamon).

There is nothing more pleasant than sitting on one of Cordoba's terraces under the orange trees after a hot day and refreshing yourself with a glass of dry white wine and a bowl of salmorejo. The best thing about this dish is that it is very easy to prepare from commonly available ingredients in the UK. You will see for yourself that you will soon not be able to do without the ingenious combination of spicy tomatoes and vinegar, the strong taste of Jamon, boiled egg and velvety olive oil.

INGREDIENTS

You can prepare Salmorejo in any amount while maintaining the stated ratio of ingredients.

Serves 4

1 kg of ripe tomatoes 

200 g one-day-old (not fresh) white bread

250 ml extra virgin olive oil

salt and pepper

1 garlic clove

2 boiled eggs

150 g jamón ( ibérico or serrano )

2 tablespoons wine vinegar - ideally "de Jerez"

METHOD

1. Peel a clove of garlic.
2. Wash the tomatoes, steam them under hot water and peel. Cut them in half and remove the hard spots by which they were attached to the stem.
3. Cut the bread into smaller cubes.
4. Put all ingredients except eggs and Jamon in a sufficiently large blender or plastic container if you will be using an immersion blender. Mix everything until the ingredients form a velvety homogeneous mass (if you do not have a sufficiently powerful mixer, first create a fine cream without oil and then add oil with a thin string while stirring).
5. Put in the refrigerator for at least one to two hours to chill.

NOTE: If you are adding vinegar, add it right at the beginning along with all the ingredients. The issue of vinegar in Salmorejo is quite complex and provokes numerous discussions. The authentic Old Testament salmorejo is really vinegar-free, but vinegar is often added to salmorejo even in the best restaurants.

Meanwhile, boil two eggs hard and cut them into cubes one-centimetre in diameter. Then cut the Jamon into small cubes.

Pour the chilled salmorejo into smaller bowls and garnish with egg cubes, Jamon and a thin stream of olive oil.

BUEN PROVECHO!

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