A Summer Soup That Sounds Divine
Yes, it has been humid and hot, hot, hot.
Usually at this point in August, I am sort of done with the beach.
As September begins to beckon, I think more about cooking. Sure, I cook during the summer, but I grill meats, vegetables, and desserts on my Weber, prepping salad and eating inside. Of course, produce is gorgeous this time of year and, finally, there are tomatoes. Last week I bought tomatoes, beets, and a pint of those yellow cherry tomatoes. I ate the full pint by the time I got off I-95.
Recently, I looked over my new issue of Food & Wine, the issue about Spain. I looked up the recipes and found one for a tomato soup. It sounds divine. I had enough tomatoes to double the recipe. It should be served cold. I love cold soup, especially when the weather is still sticky and hot, so I would happily eat it for a couple of days. And the recipe uses no heat, just a blender.
Salmorejo
From Food & Wine, September, 2017
Yield: serves 4
2 ½ pounds vine-ripened tomatoes, cored and chopped
½ pound rustic white bread, crust removed, cubed (2 ½ cups)
2 garlic cloves
1 teaspoon sherry vinegar
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil (plus more for serving, if you like)
Kosher salt
2 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and chopped
½ cup chopped Serrano ham (prosciutto will do nicely)
In a blender, purée the chopped tomatoes with the bread, garlic, vinegar, and ½ cup of water at high speed until very smooth, about 1 minute. With the blender on, drizzle in the ¼ cup of oil until incorporated. Season with salt, cover, and refrigerate until the soup is cold, at least 30 minutes.
Divide the soup among 4 bowls. Garnish with chopped eggs and ham, then drizzle with olive oil and serve.
Make ahead: The soup can be refrigerated for up to 2 days.