Salmorejo, just another tasty cold cream from Andalusia

Originally from Cordoba, the Salmorejo is a dish typical of Andalusia which is cooked in various ways. Its base is always hard-texture unripe red tomato, but is also accompanied by other products such as bread and olive oil.

Besides the tomatoes, other key ingredient of Salmorejo is bread. With it Salmorejo gets the optimum texture that gives body to the cream. It is recommended the use of bread from the previous day. Besides that, another of the basic components is the extra virgin olive oil. It should not be replaced by different types of oil, or of different quality, since the result would not be expected.

Bread and extra virgin olive oil bestow the characteristic texture of the cream. Another food that brings nuance to the flavor is garlic, which gets a slight itch always nice when it is added in appropriate portion. An excessive amount could make the Salmorejo indigestible. To avoid this, simply remove the green stem that is inside of each tooth, before adding the cream. It is essential the seasoning of it with a pinch of salt, not too much to spoil the taste of the dish.

For the ingredients used can Salmorejo can be considered similar to the Andalusian gazpacho. However, one of its most notable differences is the texture: the Salmorejo has a consistency similar to mashed potatoes or a creamy sauce, while the gazpacho is more liquid. It looks more like a soup. This connection is different because the Salmorejo is made without water, but often carries a higher content of bread and especially olive oil.

To make the gazpacho, you must wash the tomatoes and mash them with a whisk. Then go through the Chinese strainer to remove seeds and skins, add the bread and let it soak in tomatoes. Then, slowly add the garlic, salt and oil through a thin stream, and beat the mixture until it forms a thin little thick cream.

Once ready the gazpacho, you must serve it fresh. It is accompanied by bits of cured ham or ham, boiled egg, cooked and peeled small shrimp or some slices of cod. Even can be used as an accompaniment to a stew or marinated rabbit.