Salmorejo Recipe

Cold Tomato Soup from Andalusia
An easy tapas recipe

by Steve Homer 

I remember the first time I tasted Salmorejo when I first arrived in southern Spain – as a tapa in Neptuno Beach Club, Mojacar Playa. The intense tomato taste just blew me away. This is a classical dish from Cordoba but it is widely served in Almeria Province and is considered ‘an Andalucian classic’. 

Personally I prefer it to the much adored Gazpacho and I would certainly offer this tapa in competition to any Gazpacho I have ever tasted. My preference is for Salmorejo to be thin rather than thick. The thinner version gives it a more refined feel, and smoother taste, very up-market! This is a great dish to serve to guests at a dinner party, and served in Martini cocktail glasses it just looks stunning too. 

The Photo: This Salmorejo was prepared by a traditional Spanish chef, Pepe Ramos was slightly thicker than to my liking. Notice the use of a quail egg on the side to garnish. Also, a pinch of flat leave parsley gives it a colourful look.

It is usually served with Serrano ham and chopped eggs but I have seen a wide variety of different ways to serve it and restaurants are now competing in how best to present this dish…with garlic cream foam, with anchovies or with the classic ham and eggs. Don’t forget in Spain we use quails eggs, as they are so readily available and inexpensive.

Ingredients

Additional Kitchen Equipment

You also need a food processor or a processor stick (I prefer to use a magi-mix processor as I can just leave it to run for however long it requires and get on with other things. Also, because I prefer this dish thinner, I don’t have to stand over the machine to monitor the consistency).

Method

How To Skin A Tomato

The skinning planning process takes place even before you reach the kitchen! Whilst at the market choose ripe tomatoes, not those that need to ripen, and not those that are overly squashy. The idea here is, depending upon their use in whichever recipe, to use ripe tomatoes whereby the skins will peel off easily, but the tomato can remain firm. 

For a salsa the firmer the better but for a Salmorejo then the firmness of the tomato is less important.

Method

1. In the end opposite the tomato core, place a small neat cross in the top with a sharp knife. 
2. Plunge the tomatoes in turn into a pre-prepared saucepan of boiling water using a slotted spoon – blanche the tomatoes for approximately 30 seconds. 
3. Transfer the tomatoes into ice-cold water for about 30 to 60 seconds. 
4. Remove from the cold water and tear the skin off using your fingers, from the pre-cut cross. The skins will easily peel.
5. Repeat the process until all the required tomatoes are skinned.

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