Salmorejo - "Cream of Gazpacho"
A thick cream which is served in individual ramekins as a starter, to be eaten with a spoon. It also makes a good party dip, accompanied by bread sticks and vegetable dippers. To turn it into gazpacho, just thin with water and serve with the usual accouterments of chopped onions, cucumbers, green peppers and bread crumbs.
Ingredients
- 400 grams stale bread
- 600 grams ripe tomatoes, peeled and seeded
- 3 cloves garlic
- 120 ml olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons vinegar
- 100 grams serrano ham
- cut in thin strips 2 hard-boiled eggs or 6 hard-boiled quails egg
Recipe
Cut the bread into chunks and put in a bowl with water to cover. Let soak until softened. Cut the peeled and seeded tomatoes into chunks and place in a processor bowl with the garlic. Process until puréed. Remove softened crusts from bread and discard. Use your hands to squeeze as much water as possible out of the bread. Add the bread to the processor bowl. (If necessary, process in two batches). Process until smooth, then, with the motor running, slowly add the oil, salt and vinegar to make a thick cream. Chill until serving time. Spread in a dish or in individual ramekins and garnish the top with strips of ham and sliced egg.