This iteration of gazpacho is all about the tomatoes and garlic. In addition to the traditional toppings of boiled eggs and crispy ham, I like to add croutons for crunch and chives for that pretty green finish.
Salmorejo, huh?
You may not have heard of Salmorejo, but I’m sure most of you know what gazpacho is all about. This recipe is very similar to gazpacho, but there are no bell peppers or cucumbers involved, and the toppings are quite different.
This is yet another recipe which was introduced to me by my old photography boss. Thanks Francesco! The star ingredient is obviously tomatoes. We are at the height of tomato season here, so it’s the perfect time to take advantage of those sweet, meaty heirlooms. For a recipe like this, large tomatoes with few seeds work best. The seeds will all be sieved out at the end either way, but meatier tomatoes means fewer tomatoes to peel, which you will thank me for.
Similarly to my gazpacho recipe, this soup is thickened with dehydrated bread and flavored with copious amounts of olive oil and sherry vinegar. Oh and don’t forget the garlic. A little shallot or other onion of your liking would also be a nice addition.
Toppers are key.
The hard boiled eggs and crispy ham are what make this chilled tomato soup Salmorejo. My ex-boss actually left off the ham, but I scoured the internet and the consensus is yes, put ham on top. Obviously, if you’re vegetarian, you’ll enjoy this soup just fine without it. Perhaps a vegan bacon would even be a good alternative.
I’m very particular about my eggs. In all cases. Always. Especially here. I like to gently place my eggs in already boiling water and cook for exactly 10 minutes. Then I immediately transfer them to an ice water bath to cool completely. This cooking method allows the yolk to be just set while maintaining a slightly jammy center. So good. So perfect.
Then there’s the ham. While testing this recipe, I tried both Serrano ham and Italian Prosciutto. Iberico would be great, too. Stick to the Spanish products if you want to be more authentic, but honestly I recommend whichever cured meat you can find at the highest quality. For this recipe, I placed the ham in a room temperature pan, and slowly heated it up and rendered the fat just as I would bacon.
As an alternative, you can also crisp up the ham in the oven. If using fresh bread, you will need to dehydrate the bread in the oven, so might as well use the oven for more than one purpose. However, if you have time to cut up the bread the night before and allow it to sit out and become stale on its own, I see no need to turn on that oven. Especially because we still have some hot summer days ahead.
Besides the traditional toppings, I think croutons are a crucial. They add crunch and body and make all the difference. Chives add that green element and onion flavor, and the black pepper and olive oil add those last finishing touches.
If you have no interest in reading my lengthy explanation of how I make this dish, check out the video below for the basic step-by-step instructions!
This post is also available as a web story.
PrintSalmorejo (Chilled Spanish Tomato Soup)
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings, 1 quart 1x
- Diet: Low Lactose
Description
This iteration of gazpacho is all about the tomatoes and garlic. In addition to the traditional toppings of boiled eggs and crispy ham, I like to add croutons for crunch and chives for that pretty green finish.
Ingredients
Ingredients:
- 2.5 lbs ripe tomatoes, preferably large red heirlooms with few seeds
- 1 medium clove garlic, crushed
- 2 oz stale bread* without crust (I used sourdough)
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp sherry or red wine vinegar, or to taste
- Kosher salt, to taste
Croutons:
- 2.5 oz bread without crust, cut into ½ to ¾ inch cubes (2 cups)
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- Kosher salt, to taste
Remaining toppings:
- 4 large eggs
- 4 thin slices of Serrano, Prosciutto crudo or Iberico ham
- Chives, thinly sliced
- Freshly cracked black pepper
- Extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
1. Blanch tomatoes: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Fill a large bowl with cold water and ice. Cut a small ‘x’ on the bottom of each tomato to encourage skin to peel. Add tomatoes to boiling water and boil for 20-60 seconds or until skin easily separates from flesh. Drain and place in ice water until cool. Dry, peel and discard skin, and roughly chop.
2. Blend soup: Add chopped tomatoes and garlic to blender and process until smooth. Add bread to blender and allow to sit and soften for 15 minutes. Blend. Stream in olive oil while blending. Add vinegar and salt to taste, and blend until smooth.
3. Strain and chill: Pass soup through a sieve to remove any seeds or unblended chunks. Chill in fridge until ready to serve.
4. Make croutons: Preheat a large nonstick pan over medium heat. Add oil, followed by bread cubes. Toss to coat in oil and season with salt. Sauté, stirring often, until crispy and golden brown. Set aside.
5. Boil eggs: Bring a small pot of water to a boil. Place cold water and ice into a medium sized bowl. Gently lower in eggs and boil for 8-10 minutes. An 8 minute boil will yield a cooked through, yet slightly more jammy egg. Transfer to ice water bath. When cooled, remove, peel and chop as desired. Season with salt before topping soup.
6. Crisp ham: Add ham to a large nonstick pan. Turn heat to medium and slowly render fat and crisp ham. Cook for 10-15 minutes or until crisp, adjusting heat as needed. Transfer to a paper towel-lined sheet. Break into smaller pieces when serving.
7. Assemble and serve: Ladle soup into serving bowls. Top with boiled eggs, croutons, ham, chives, black pepper and a drizzle of olive oil. Enjoy.
Notes
*NOTE: If using fresh bread, preheat oven to 350°F. Cut bread into 1 inch chunks and place on baking sheet. Dry out in oven for 10-12 minutes or until dehydrated without browning.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Saute, blend
- Cuisine: Spanish
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup soup with toppings
- Calories: 460
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 140mg
- Fat: 39mg
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Carbohydrates: 12g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 17g
I have never tried a cold soup, the idea of cold soup is kinda foolish to me. However, being from the south I LOVE tomatoes so I’m going to give this soup a try. Seems like a good choice for a lite supper on a summer night.
It’s so great that you’re open minded to trying a chilled soup, even though you haven’t had one before! It’s not for everyone, but it is certainly an amazing use for summer tomatoes. I’m curious to hear your thoughts if you get a chance to make it!
YUM!