ATLANTA — It’s HOT, and although we may love soup, its tough to love hot soup in the heat of an Atlanta summer. So why not create a Chilled Soup Bar, so friends and family can choose their favorite garnishes to finish off their yummy cool bowls - we all enjoy food we can customize to our taste like chili or baked potatoes, toppings for our burger or hot dog.
Salmorejo is a classic Spanish soup, creamier and thicker than our traditional Gazpacho recipes here in the United States. Originating in Andalusia, Southern Spain, it uses not only tomatoes, but also toasted bread and sherry vinegar to make it thick and rich with lots of bright taste. In the past, it was only topped with chopped hard-boiled eggs and chopped serrano ham, but today chefs and home cooks top it with all kinds of yummy things in addition to the traditional garnishes.
Chilled Spanish Tomato Soup (Salmorejo)
Sal – mow – ray – ho
1 Garlic Clove
½ Tsp Sea Salt
2 Slices of Rustic Bread, toasted
About 1 LB Ripe Red Beefsteak Tomatoes (or Campari Tomatoes)
1 – 2 TB Sherry Vinegar
¼ Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
½ Tsp Red Pepper Flakes
Breadsticks or Rolls to Serve
Add the garlic clove and salt to a food processor and puree until clove is well chopped. Tear the bread into pieces and place in the processor along with the grape tomatoes, vinegar, oil, red pepper. Puree until smooth. Taste for seasoning or additional sherry vinegar. Serve with Breadsticks or Toasted Bread.
Garnish Bar
About ½ Cup Each
Crispy Serrano (or Prosciutto) Ham
Chopped Hard Boiled Eggs
Chopped Green Onions
Chopped Cilantro or Parsley
Chopped Cucumber
Chopped Jalapeño
Chopped Roasted Salted Almonds
Spanish Olive Oil
Wine Pairing
I love a rosé wine with this soup – one that is fruity with refreshing acidity to complement the acidity of the tomatoes but that is not so delicate as to be overpowered by the flavorful bowl. Spanish rosado (what rosé is called in Spain), is a great pairing because of its crisp acidity and lush berry flavors.