Salmorejo

Salmorejo

A bowl of Salmorejo
Alternative names	Ardoria
Course	Appetiser
Place of origin	Spain
Region or state	Andalucia
Serving temperature	Cold in summer warm in winter
Main ingredients	Tomato, bread, extra virgin olive oil, garlic and salt
Variations	Gazpacho porra antequerana

Salmorejo is a purée consisting of tomato and bread, originating from Cordoba in Andalucia, south Spain. It is made from tomatoes, bread, oil, garlic. Normally, the tomatoes are skinned and then puréed with the other ingredients. The purée is served cold and may be garnished with diced Spanish serrano ham and diced hard-boiled eggs.

Salmorejo is more pink-orange in appearance than gazpacho, and is also much thicker and creamier in texture, because it includes more bread. There are several variations in Andalusia, including ardoria and porra antequerana (with bits of tuna as topping).

Salmorejo is also the name given to a marinade typical of Canary Islands cuisine. It is used to flavour meat before cooking, especially rabbit (conejo en salmorejo) which is a speciality of the islands. Typical marinade ingredients include salt, garlic, paprika and hot peppers.

Skin the tomatoes and remove their cores. Using a blender, liquefy the tomatoes and garlic and add the vinegar and seasoning. Soak the bread in water until tender, then wring it out. Next, add half of the bread and blend until smooth. Continue adding bread and a little olive oil and blending until the cream has a smooth, creamy consistency. Chill the purée and then serve in a shallow bowl, garnished with ham and egg and accompanied by fresh bread.

The combination of the acidity of the vinegar and tomatoes with the chilled temperature of the purée makes it very refreshing; natives prefer to enjoy it in the shade on a warm summer day.