Canasta Recipes: Salmorejo
A traditionally vegan recipe for Gazpacho's creamier cousin
Welcome to Canasta. If you’re vegan, plant-based, flexi, or simply curious about incorporating more cruelty-free choices into your life, subscribe to receive our free weekly posts. On Tuesdays we publish food and lifestyle related newsletters including vegan product recommendations, London eating out guides, restaurant reviews and more. On Fridays you’ll receive a plant-based recipe post. You’ll also get monthly(ish) vegan-friendly travel guides for destinations across the globe (check out our archive for Rio de Janeiro, Lake Como, Scotland and Bali).
Follow us on Instagram @canastavegan for additional recommendations, recipes and updates.
Last September we cheated the end of summer by escaping to the Andalusian countryside, hiding from the autumn in a beautiful traditional home deep in the Spanish south. Life is slow here, the days are sleepy, the air is crisp and all you can hear are the rustling leaves from nearby olive and cork trees. By day we would bask in the peaceful surrounds and in the evenings, when the temperatures were gentler, we would drive into the majestic cities of Seville and Córdoba, or the quaint little local villages.
When it came to food, we mostly cooked at the house or picked up a few light bites when in town. Of course – this being Spain – jamon (ham), cheese, eggs, pork and other meats are ubiquitous so eating out can be challenging but(!) there is always one dish you can rely on: salmorejo. This Andalusian chilled tomato soup is not only one of the quintessential dishes of the region but it’s also naturally plant-based (just make sure to ask from no ham or egg toppings). You’ll find it throughout the region but it’s particularly beloved in the city of Córdoba, from where it’s said to originate.
Similar to gazpacho, in so far as they’re both chilled tomato soups however the crucial distinction is salmorejo’s addition of stale bread which gives it a creamier texture and fuller flavour than it’s looser cousin. Tangy sweet tomatoes, sharp sherry vinegar, heady garlic, rich olive oil and the luscious bread all come together to create a sublime example of simple plant-based cooking. It celebrates the tomato in all its glory – minimal intervention, just easy beautiful cookery. For me it is epitome of summer on a plate. Try it while tomatoes are still at their best.
Recipe
Serves 4
1.2kg plum tomatoes (or other cooking tomatoes, preferably on the vine)
2 garlic cloves
4-inch stale bread baton (I used a day-old baguette)
1tbsp sherry vinegar
65ml olive oil (plus extra for garnishing)
flaky sea salt
Method:
Cut off the crusts from your bread and cut into large chunks then add to your blender along with the tomatoes (roughly chopped), garlic, vinegar and salt.
Blend on high for about 5 minutes until the mixture is completely smooth.
With the blender still running on high slowly pour in the olive oil for another minute or so until beautifully silky and emulsified.
Pour into a container and refrigerate for at least half an hour.
To serve drizzle with a little more olive oil and enjoy!