salmorejo

What if I told you there was a chilled soup just perfect for summer? A soup that really makes the best of your surplus of red, juicy ripe tomatoes? Maybe you would say, 'I know gazpacho, and I'm not that crazy about it.'

Well, it's not gazpacho. It's the lazy southern Spanish version called salmorejo.  Lucky for me (and you) salmorejo is like a cross between gazpacho and romesco.  You could also think of it as a liquified pa amb tomaquet.  Either way, it's just amazing.

Salmorejo hails from Córdoba, and is usually accompanied with hard-boiled egg and mini-ribbons of jamón. What's the word itself mean? Folks are divided. It could be a derivation of the Latin for brine and vinegar. It could also come from the Latin for salt and pestle.

Either way, you need to get this simple soup cooking before your tomato season comes to an end. Trust.

salmorejo

• 6-8 tomatoes
• 1 baguette, day old if possible
• small clove of garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• generous drizzle of apple cider vinegar
• salt

Peel the tomatoes and cut into pieces. Combine in a blender with the bread, also cut into pieces with crust removed, and garlic.  Blend until homogenous, then add the vinegar, salt to taste, and olive oil. Blend again until beautifully creamy. Refrigerate.