The heat in Córdoba is the kind that slows time, the kind that makes the air waver like a mirage, blurring the edges of whitewashed buildings and sun-baked courtyards. The scent of orange blossoms lingers heavy in the afternoon stillness, cicadas drone from their hidden perches, and the streets shimmer under the weight of centuries.
And then, salvation.
It arrives in a bowl, impossibly smooth, the color of late-summer sunsets—deep coral, kissed by the fire of ripe tomatoes and the golden weight of olive oil. No ice, no tricks, just the coolness of the stoneware against my fingertips, the promise of relief in every slow ripple across the surface.
The first spoonful coats the tongue like velvet. Tomatoes, sun-ripened and heavy with their own sweetness. Garlic, just enough to whisper rather than shout. Bread, softened and blended until it vanishes into silk. And olive oil—real olive oil—the kind that smells like the fields it came from, the kind that lingers, rich and peppery, in the back of your throat.
And then, the final indulgence. Slivers of jamón, draped across the surface like stolen silk. A scattering of hard-boiled egg, yolk crumbling into gold. A last drizzle of olive oil, catching the sunlight like a promise.
The city hums beyond the courtyard walls. The heat presses in, waiting.
But for now, I am cool, I am sated, and I am certain of only one thing:
There is no summer without salmorejo.
What Is Salmorejo?
Salmorejo is a Spanish cold soup similar to gazpacho. The main difference is that this tomato based soup is blended with white bread to give it more thickness. This results in a more creamy soup regarding mouth-feel, as well as lightening the color from tomato red, to a shade of orange. Salmorejo can be served by itself as a meal, but it is actually quite known as one of the popular tapas in Spain!
Salmorejo is usually garnished with some chopped jamon serrano (cured ham) and hard boiled egg yolk. You can serve it in a bowl, or if you are treating it like a tapa, in a little glass cup like my featured picture above.
Ingredients
- 300 grams Tomato; peeled and chopped. You can use tinned tomatoes if you don’t want to prepare fresh ones.
- 2 slices Bread; white.
- 1 clove Garlic; peeled and chopped.
- 2 Eggs
- 75 ml Olive Oil. Like with all my dishes that involve olive oil being uncooked, try to get the highest quality you can.
- 2 tbsp Sherry Vinegar
- 30 grams Jamon Serrano; chopped. If you can’t find it at your local grocer, it is available from Amazon here.
- 1 tsp Salt, to taste.
Instructions
- Take the bread and soak it in a shallow bowl with water. Drain.
- In a large mixing bowl (or in a stand mixer on the whisk attachment) add the tomato and garlic and start to beat together. While still beating add the bread and the yolk from one of the eggs.
- When everything is uniform add the vinegar and salt to taste and continue beating until everything is smooth and creamy. Slowly trickle in the oil in a similar fashion to making homemade mayonnaise. You want to go slow so the soup doesn’t ‘break.’ If the soup is too think you can add a touch of water to thin it out.
- Pour into serving bowls, or shot glasses and garnish with chopped serrano ham, and crumbled hard boiled egg.
Notes
A popular variation of this when serving as a tapa is called canastillas de salmorejo. These are tartlet shells filled with salmorejo soup and garnished the same way. This makes an easier to eat, less dishes to wash tapa perfect for large parties.
Salmorejo
Ingredients
Method
- Take the bread and soak it in a shallow bowl with water. Drain.
- In a large mixing bowl (or in a stand mixer on the whisk attachment) add the tomato and garlic and start to beat together. While still beating add the bread and the yolk from one of the eggs.
- When everything is uniform add the vinegar and salt to taste and continue beating until everything is smooth and creamy. Slowly trickle in the oil in a similar fashion to making homemade mayonnaise. You want to go slow so the soup doesn’t ‘break.’ If the soup is too think you can add a touch of water to thin it out.
- Pour into serving bowls, or shot glasses and garnish with chopped serrano ham, and crumbled hard boiled egg.
