Salmorejo Cordobés (Chilled Tomato and Bread Cream)

Method

1. 1
   • tomato1 kg
   • salt1 tsp

   Soak the bread in tomato — Put the quartered tomatoes and the salt in a blender and blitz for a full minute until completely liquid. Push the torn bread down under the purée and leave it to soften for 30 minutes — this soak is what makes salmorejo dense rather than watery.

   ⏱30 min
2. 2
   • garlic1
   • olive oil1½ dl
   • red wine vinegar1 tbsp

   Emulsify with the oil — Add the garlic and the vinegar and blend on high for two full minutes until absolutely smooth. With the motor still running, pour the olive oil in a slow steady thread; the salmorejo pales to a matt salmon-orange and thickens to the texture of double cream.

3. 3

   Sieve and refrigerate — Pass it through a fine sieve if you want it silkier still, then taste: it should be firmly salted and just sharp enough to prickle. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours — lukewarm salmorejo tastes of nothing.

   ⏱2 hr
4. 4
   • egg2

   Hard-boil the eggs — Meanwhile lower the eggs into boiling water and cook for 9 minutes, then cool them under cold running water, peel and chop them roughly.

   ⏱9 min
5. 5
   • olive oil1½ dl
   • ham80 g
   • egg2
   • black pepperto taste

   Top with egg and ham — Ladle the cold salmorejo into shallow bowls, scatter over the chopped egg and the ham, crack black pepper on top and finish each bowl with a thread of olive oil.