Author Notes
Salmorejo Cordobés is a cold tomato soup from the Andalusian region of Spain. It's a smoother, more luscious version of its Andalusian cousin, gazpacho, and is served with toppings like hard-boiled egg, jamón, and olive oily tuna, giving it an extra touch of texture and sustenance.
Back when I lived in Madrid, my roommate from Sevilla showed me how to make salmorejo, and ever since, it's been one of my summer staples. In fact, I'll be serving it by the (biodegradable) cupful at Joan y Cati, my husband and my new sandwich shop & takeaway eatery in Mallorca, España. As you can imagine, I've been doing a lot of recipe testing lately and that means daily trips to the market. A pro tip I recently learned from one of the vendors: "pear" tomatoes are the best for making salmorejo. But above all, choose whichever tomatoes are at their peak ripeness.
When I'm not preparing it myself, my favorite salmorejo spot is Bar Alfalfa in Sevilla. There you can order it the classic way: in a bowl, topped with the traditional "taquitos" of jamón, chopped HB egg and a drizzle of good, Andalusian olive oil. Or, you can order their Brusquetta Andaluza—a thick toast or "pan de pueblo," with a generous spread of salmorejo, fresh mozzarella cheese, and chopped jamón—essentially a dressed down bread bowl. Either vessel does the trick. Que aproveche! —Caitlin Gunther
Ingredients
- Salmorejo Cordobés
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1
kilograms (about 8 to 10) vine-ripe tomatoes, quartered
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42 grams
(about 1/2) Italian green pepper, seeds removed
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4 to 7 grams
(1 to 1 1/2) garlic cloves
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95 milliliters
(about 1/2 cup) extra-virgin olive oil
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20 milliliters
(about 4 teaspoons) white vinegar
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7 grams
crunchy salt (or to taste)
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75 grams
day-old bread, torn into small pieces
- Toppings
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Hard-boiled eggs, chopped
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Jamón iberico
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Olive-oil packed tuna
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Avocado
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Herbs (basil, cilantro, etc)
Directions
- Salmorejo Cordobés
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In a blender, combine the first 3 ingredients and blend until smooth—it should be like a puree.
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Add bread to blended tomato mixture and push pieces down to soak for a few minutes; then blend again until smooth.
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Turn to low speed and stream in the olive oil—keep blending. A few solid minutes of blending time is very important during this step, to give the salmorejo an emulsion-like texture.
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Add vinegar and salt, and blend again. Taste and adjust salt, vinegar (and maybe the garlic) to your liking.
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Chill completely before serving.
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Serve with toppings (see below) and, of course, bread for dipping.
- Toppings
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This last part is what makes this dish more than just a soup. It can be a totally satisfying, protein-filled meal. The typical way to serve salmorejo is topped with diced hard-boiled egg and little chunks of jamón (prosciutto would be a fine substitute). I have also seen it served with tuna (packed in extra virgin olive oil), avocado slices, or goat cheese. Really, you can get creative here.
Caitlin is a Paris-based writer. She wrote about food and wine while living in Madrid after college, and had a brief career as a lawyer before moving back to Spain to work in restaurants and attend culinary courses at the Basque Culinary Center in San Sebastian. She has worked or staged at Mina, Nerua and Septime. Caitlin is currently working on her first memoir about working in Michelin-starred restaurants in Bilbao. Follow her on Insta at @caitlinrauxgunther
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