Cold and Creamy Cordoban Gazpacho for Souper (Soup, Salad & Sammie) Sundays

Muggy heat and fresh tomatoes from the farmer's market mean one thing, Gazpacho. This Cordoban Gazpacho came from Gourmet Magazine's recipe archive here (it was in the August 2002 issue), and was adapted from El Churrasco, a restaurant in Cordoba, Spain. 

Gourmet says: "In Córdoba, gazpacho is reduced to its most basic elements, with no cucumbers or peppers, and is known as salmorejo. It takes on a sauce-like consistency but is still considered a soup and is served in small portions. It is scattered with chopped hard-boiled egg and julienne strips of serrano ham, both indispensable to achieving salmorejo’s fullest flavor. Salmorejo is sometimes used as a dip."

I thought it would be great served in small bowls with a plate of Spanish "nibbles" as a light lunch or dinner.

Cordoban Gazpacho

Gourmet Magazine, August 2002

(Serves 4)

1 (4-inch-long) piece baguette, crust discarded
2 garlic cloves

1 teaspoon salt

12 whole blanched almonds
1 cup mild extra-virgin olive oil (preferably Andalusian hojiblanca)
2 lb ripe tomatoes, cored and quartered
2 tablespoons Sherry vinegar (preferably “reserva”), or to taste
2 hard-boiled eggs, finely chopped
1/4 lb serrano ham or prosciutto, sliced 1/8 inch thick, then cut into julienne strips

Soak bread in 1/2 cup water 1 minute, then squeeze dry, discarding soaking water.

Mash garlic to a paste with salt using a mortar and pestle (or mince and mash with a large knife). Blend garlic paste, bread, and almonds in a food processor until nuts are very finely chopped. Add oil in a slow stream with motor running, blending until thick and smooth. Add tomatoes and 2 tablespoons vinegar and blend until as smooth as possible, about 1 minute. Force soup through a sieve into a bowl, pressing firmly on solids. Discard solids.

Transfer to a glass container and chill, covered, until cold, about 3 hours. Season with salt and vinegar, then serve in small bowls, topped with egg and ham.

Cooks’ note: Gazpacho can be chilled up to 2 days.

Notes/Results: Thick, creamy and delicious with very simple, very pure flavors. The tomato is the star here, so you'll want to use the freshest and best possible. The olive oil plays a key role too, so use a good one. The serrano ham and hard boiled egg bring a nice savory touch and add some good texture. If you want to keep it "veggie" you could omit the ham and egg and chop up fresh basil and dice some tomato to garnish. The soup goes together quickly and easily, the only cooking is boiling a couple of eggs for the garnish, so it is perfect to mix up in the morning and let chill to enjoy later. I served it in a small bowl along with some bread, manchego cheese, serrano ham, Spanish olives and a few fresh baby figs from the farmer's market to nibble on. I will make this again.

Let's take a look at who is in the Souper (Soup, Salad & Sammie) Sundays Kitchen this week:

With a fridge full of zucchini, Kristen from Sogkonnite Living found a delicious way to use it up in this Zucchini Mint Soup from an old Martha Stewart Living magazine. Kristen says, "Adam and I really enjoyed it, I didn't even bother trying to give it to the kids. We had it hot for dinner, but I really can't wait to try it cold for lunch tomorrow- I bet it's going to be great!"

Working hard and getting ready for vacation this week, Ulrike from Küchenlatein smartly enlisted her sons, on their summer holiday to make this Chicken, Rice and Broad Bean Soup from Donna Hay. After "podding" all the broad beans, they cooked the soup and served it for lunch. Ulrike says it is "a very tasty soup, we all were pleased." Great teamwork!

Debbie from Dining with Debbie is back this week with a hearty soup from her crock pot, this Brazilian Black Bean Soup. Debbie says: "This soup is rich and meaty with just the right of spicy heat. I typically use the canned black beans, but you can cook up a batch from scratch if you prefer."  If you are into crock pot cooking, check out Debbie's Crock Pot Wednesdays event. 

Chaya from Chaya's Comfy Cook Blog picked a salad to send to us this week, her Loaded Potato Salad, full of red potatoes, lots of veggies, cheese and sour cream. Chaya says, "I made this because I liked the name of it. I found recipes with this name in several places on the Internet. I altered it and it does not reflect any of them. Sometimes, it surprises me how I intend to follow a particular recipe and end up with a completely different one."

Graziana from Erbe in Cucina made some savory little Praga Ham Sandwiches with Corn Salad to share this week. (If you are not familiar with those ingredients, corn salad is a type of salad greens, also known as mache or lambs lettuce and Praga ham is a type of cooked ham from Prague). A spoonful of hummus, makes a savory spread for these hearty little sammies. 

Our favorite couple, Chrystal and Amir of The Duo Dishes prove you don't need meat for a tasty burger with their Black Bean and Sweet Potato Burgers. Big fans of sweet potatoes, The Duo says, "When we were thinking of another way to get our sweet potato on this summer, the idea of a burger definitely came to mind. These patties have all the flavors you probably love in black beans and sweet potatoes with a few other surprises too."

Natashya from Living in the Kitchen with Puppies made a decadent and delicious breakfast sammie to share, her Poached Eggs in Creamy Cheese Sauce on Homemade English Muffins. Natashya says, "In choosing a sammie to make out of my English muffins, I wanted a breakfast treasure. A cheese sauce is easy to make, just throw some good, sharp, cheddar into a delicious bechamel sauce and season it."  Yummy!

Some fun and delicious dishes. Thanks to everyone who joined us this week. If you have a soup, salad, sandwich or combination of any of the three that you would like to share at Souper (Soup, Salad & Sammie) Sundays, click on the Souper Sundays logo on the side bar to get all the details on how to participate. 

Have a great week!