SALMOREJO—THE GAZPACHO ALTERNATIVE

 

Classic salmorejo, cold tomato cream soup, with chopped ham and egg, traditional summer dish of Córdoba.

Salmorejo originated in Córdoba, the inland province of Andalusia where temperatures yesterday hit 41ºC (106ºF). It is called sopa fria, cold soup, but might well be named “lifesaver,” the antidote to hot weather. The consistency of salmorejo is like a thick cream soup to be eaten with a spoon, whereas gazpacho, salmorejo’s next of kin, is thin enough to be sipped like a beverage. 

The word “salmorejo” may derive from the Roman “sal-moretum,” gruel of bread, salt, and garlic soaked in vinegar, or from “salmuera,” salt water brine. Confusingly, the name is used as well for dishes totally different from the well-known cold soup. In my pueblo (Mijas, Málaga), a salad of oranges, onions, olives, and salt-cod is called “salmorejo.” In my first years in Spain, I was so familiar with this dish that I was ever so puzzled to encounter a completely different salmorejo on my first visit to Córdoba. The word also refers to a Canary Island dish of meat or chicken in a briny marinade.

Salmorejo is simply tomatoes, bread, garlic, olive oil, salt, and, optional, vinegar mashed to a thick cream. A close cousin of salmorejo is porra antequerana from the inland Málaga town of Antequera. Porra has a larger proportion of bread to tomatoes, making a thicker cream than salmorejo. Unlike either of them, gazpacho often has cucumber, green pepper, and onion right in the mixture. Made with less bread and sometimes thinned with water, gazpacho can be served in drinking glasses or bowls.  

In olden days, salmorejo and gazpacho were made in a mortar or wooden bowl, the ingredients mashed together with a pestle. In today’s kitchen, use a blender or food processor. 

Use juicy, ripe tomatoes and mix them with the pieces of bread so that the juices soften the bread. If you wish to peel the tomatoes (not necessary), use a vegetable peeler or knife. Don’t dunk them in boiling water. 

Summer garlic is freshly harvested so it doesn’t have a green germ that must be removed. Raw, one clove of garlic is enough. Use more if you like it really garlicky. Likewise, start with very little vinegar, 1 tablespoon. After blending, taste the mixture and add additional vinegar if desired. Extra tang is especially good when the salmorejo will have lots of toppings.

Day-old country-style bread with a dense crumb is best for making salmorejo, but any bread you have on hand can be used. Remove the crusts before processing because they do not soften easily and will leave lumps in the cream. 

Use your best extra virgin olive oil for making salmorejo. If you’re exploring varietal oils, try the Picual or Cornicabra oils. Picual is fruity and peppery; Cornicabra is smooth and aromatic. Hojiblanca, a variety widely grown in Málaga, is the perfect oil with porra antequerana. 

Classic salmorejo as made in Córdoba (recipe below) is topped with chopped ham and egg. Classic porra as made in Antequera is usually topped with chopped egg and chunks of (canned) tuna. But the smooth tomato cream is really a blank canvas just begging for some creative additions. Here are some ideas. However you serve salmorejo, be sure to finish it with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.

Toppings and garnishes for salmorejo

1. Shrimp, chopped avocados, green peppers, red chile, scallions, and shredded lettuce.

2. Smoked mackerel or sardine fillets (canned), sliced hard-cooked egg, chopped toasted almonds, and broccoli sprouts. (Or, thinly sliced mojama, salt-cured tuna, instead of mackerel.)

3. Sliced egg, chopped green beans, chopped chives (vegetarian).

4. As a sauce with fried eggplant.

5. As a dip with endive leaves, carrot sticks, and bread sticks.

6. Chopped herbs such as mint, chives, basil, cilantro, or parsley.

7. Wakame (seaweed) salad and chopped scallions.

8. Chopped olives stuffed with anchovies, cherry tomatoes, and chopped parsley.

9. Chopped nectarines or mango and arugula leaves.

Classic topping of serrano ham and chopped egg. The white and yolk are separated and grated. One egg and 2 ounces (about 4 tablespoons) of ham are enough for four (1-cup) servings of salmorejo. 

Salmorejo with shrimp cocktail. Place shredded lettuce in cocktail cups. Add salmorejo. Top with small shrimp, chopped avocado, green pepper, red chile, and scallion that have been mixed with a little olive oil, salt, and lemon juice. Sprinkle with smoked pimentón picante (hot paprika).

Spread salmorejo on plates and top with strips of smoked mackerel, chopped almonds, a slice of egg, and sprouts.

Small bowls of salmorejo are topped with egg and cooked and sliced green beans, drizzled with additional oil.

In Córdoba, salmorejo is often served as a sauce to accompany fried eggplant slices. (Recipe below)

Classic Córdoba Salmorejo

Salmorejo a la Cordobesa

This recipe makes a mixture the consistency of a thick cream soup to be eaten with a spoon. For a thicker version that can be served as a dip with vegetable dippers, chips or breadsticks, use one more slice of bread. 

Serves 4 to 8.

2 pounds ripe tomatoes

1 teaspoon salt

1-2 cloves garlic

4 ounces bread (4 slices), crusts removed (to make 2 cups cubed)

1 - 1 ½ tablespoons Sherry vinegar

½ cup extra virgin olive oil + additional to finish

Toppings

Remove cores from the tomatoes. Peel them if desired. Cut them into chunks (makes about 4 cups cut-up tomatoes). Place the tomatoes in a large bowl and sprinkle with the salt. Add the garlic cut in half. Tear the bread into pieces or cut it into cubes and add to the tomatoes. Stir all together with a wooden spoon. Let set 30 minutes to draw out the juices of the tomatoes and soften the bread.

Add the vinegar to the tomatoes. Use a blender or food processor to puree the tomatoes and bread to a smooth cream. Blend in the oil in four additions. Chill the salmorejo.

Serve the salmorejo in shallow bowls with choice of toppings.  Drizzle with additional extra virgin olive oil.

Fried Eggplant

Berenjena Frita

Cut eggplant in 1/4-inch slices. Place them in a bowl and cover with salt water (or agua con gas (seltzer), milk or beer). Place a dish on top to keep the slices submerged. Soak 30 minutes or up to 3 hours. Drain well and pat dry.

Heat oil on medium-high in a large skillet to a depth of 1/4 inch. Dredge the eggplant slices in flour, pat off the excess, and fry them in oil, turning to brown on both sides. Drain on absorbent paper. Sprinkle with salt. Serve the eggplant hot or room temperature.

Salmorejo on the vine.