2 lbs. red ripe tomatoes, chopped (1kg)
1–2 cloves garlic, peeled
2–3 cups of cubed day-old bread (204g)
¾ cups best quality Spanish olive oil (180ml)
Salt to taste
Extra Spanish olive oil for garnish
1 hardboiled egg, chopped
2 oz jamon serrano, thickly cut, then diced (50g)
Using a food processor or blender, puree the tomatoes. Strain the puree through a mesh strainer to remove the seeds and skins. In batches, return portions of the tomato puree to the processor along with the garlic, cubed bread and olive oil (do not over fill processor). Puree all of the ingredients until smooth, processing in batches until all of the ingredients have been pureed.
Chill the salmorejo in the refrigerator before serving. Salmorejo is best when prepared a day in advance.
Adjust salt level right before serving. Serve in individual cups, each garnished with a few drops of olive oil, chopped boiled egg and diced jamon serrano.
Spend a little bit extra and get the reddest, ripest tomatoes available. The authenticity and flavor of your Spanish salmorejo doesn’t depend on a recipe, but on the quality of the tomatoes. Also, the bread should be dense, artisan bakery quality bread for best results. Adjust the salt right before serving the chilled salmorejo as the salt level in the bread can be unpredictable.