Tomato and bread soup
The soup is inspired by a Spanish tomato and bread soup called salmorejo, which typically features sherry vinegar, and is served topped with boiled egg and ham. It is hard to describe how alive this soup feels. The vivacity of this soup fervently reflects the integrity of the ingredients used. It tastes of vines ripened by the sun, grassy, musky, and earthy. It tastes of vines ripened by the sun, grassy, musky, and earthy.
I developed this recipe to be eaten cold, however when I served it, my son requested for it to be heated up. Hence, we have a soup that can be served at both temperatures. There are optional toppings of bread croutons, feta or other soft, salty cheese, or tahini. I served mine with fried chickpea batter ‘chips’ or fritters called panelle.
Tomato and bread soup
Ingredients
- 900 g ripe tomatoes roughly chopped
- 2 cloves garlic roughly chopped
- 2 scallions green onions, sliced, plus more for topping
- 225 g stale bread torn into small chunks (gluten free is fine)
- 1 tablespoon apple cider or red wine vinegar
- 60 ml extra virgin olive oil plus more for topping
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Optional toppings
- bread croutons or panelle Sicilian fritters - see recipe below
- tahini
- crumbled feta ricotta, goats cheese
Instructions
- Place the tomatoes, garlic, scallions, bread, vinegar and 1 cup (250ml) of water into a blender or food processor, and puree until smooth and silky. With the motor running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil and blend until incorporated. Add the salt and give it a quick blitz to combine. Check the texture is loose and pourable. If it is too thick, blend in a touch more water.
- For cold: transfer the soup to a container, cover and chill until it’s cold, about 30 minutes. The soup can also be prepared ahead of time and stored in the fridge for several days. You can also serve immediately by adding ice cubes.
- For hot: pour the soup into a large pot and gently heat on medium heat until it is warmed through. You can also heat up individual bowls in the microwave.
- To serve, divide the soup among four serving bowls and top with scallions, a little olive oil and, if using, a drizzle of tahini and croutons or panelle.
