Salmorejo
Ingredients
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- large eggs – hard-cooked, chopped (for serving)
- jamón serrano – finely chopped (for serving)
- 2 1/2 pounds ripe tomatoes – peeled (~9.5 medium tomatos)
- 7 ounces day-old white bread – crusts removed, torn
- 1 large garlic clove – germ removed, coarsely chopped
- 1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
- 3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Instructions
1. Hard-cook the eggs: Place the eggs in a saucepan, cover with cold water by 1 inch, bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to a gentle simmer and cook 10 minutes. Transfer to an ice bath until cool, peel, chop, and reserve for serving.
2. Finely chop the jamón serrano and reserve for serving.
3. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Core the tomatoes and score a small X on the blossom end. Blanch the tomatoes until skins loosen, 30–45 seconds, then shock in ice water. Peel and roughly chop.
4. Add the peeled tomatoes to a blender and blend until smooth, 30–60 seconds.
5. Add the torn day-old white bread to the tomato purée and let soak until fully softened, 5–10 minutes. Add the chopped garlic, kosher salt, and sherry vinegar.
6. Blend until very smooth, then with the blender running, drizzle in the extra-virgin olive oil in a thin, steady stream until fully emulsified and thick, 1–2 minutes. The texture should be velvety and hold a soft peak.
7. Taste and adjust salt or vinegar if needed. Cover and chill until very cold and slightly thickened, at least 2 hours.
8. Stir the salmorejo, ladle into bowls, and garnish with the chopped hard-cooked egg and jamón serrano. Serve well chilled.
Salmorejo is a cold, silky tomato-and-bread emulsion from Córdoba, in Andalusia. It’s thicker and creamier than gazpacho, with a spoonable, velvety body and a gentle garlic note balanced by fruity olive oil and a touch of sherry vinegar. Traditionally it’s served deeply chilled and topped with chopped hard-cooked egg and slivers of cured ham, giving richness and a savory counterpoint to the sweet, ripe tomatoes.
Rooted in the family of Iberian bread-and-oil soups, salmorejo evolved after tomatoes became common in Spain, transforming earlier white bread purées into the vivid, modern version. It is a staple of Andalusian home cooking and tapas bars, especially in summer, and is closely tied to Córdoba’s culinary identity. Over time it has remained simple and elemental, emphasizing peak tomatoes, good bread, and excellent olive oil, with garnishes that speak to local traditions of cured pork and egg.