Today we explore some easy, healthy and tasty spanish traditional dishes: Gazpacho, Salmorejo and Ajoblanco!
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Gazpacho, Salmorejo and Ajoblanco (upper bowls) plus some toppings:
iberian ham cubes, grated cheese and cooked egg (lower plates) |
TRADITIONAL GAZPACHO ANDALUZ
Gazpacho Andaluz cold soup is a typical Spaniard summer dish. It is originary from the South of Spain (Andalusia). The arrival of tomatoes and other foods (including capsicon) from the discovery of America in the XXV century revolutionized the Iberian diet, including the originary (simplified) gazpacho: the constitutive base of oil, vinager, garlic, onion, bread and salt; thus adding more flavour to the mix. Tomatoes Gazpacho was soon born as a customary peasant meal taken all over Spain and Portugal, particularly in the South. As so, it can be seen already in some XXVI paintings. It is also interesting that the third major ingredient (cucumber) was also brought from overseas, from India.
Gazpacho is considered a healthy food, which mainly renewes lost salts from transpiration in hot summers, but also offers several other healthy aspects.
An excellent place to enjoy Gazpacho is Sevilla city, to me one of the most beautiful places in the world and often recreated in movies (i.e Star Wars) and series (i.e Game of Thrones).
Gazpacho andaluz recipe:
To make a soup for 4-5 glasses you just need to add to the blender:
- 6-8 ripe tomatoes (1 kilo)
- 1 red/green capsicon
- 1/2 cucumber
- 1/2 onion
- 1 garlic dent
- 3 spoons of virgin extra olive oil
- 3 spoons or more of white vinager (up to your taste)
- A thin slice of bread (just a little, c. of 50 grams)
- A bite of salt (up to your taste)
- Optional: Add water if you like it more liquified (I don't)
Mix it all in the blender until you get a proper purée, and that's it...
As condiment toppings you can add some cubes of iberian ham (delicious), bread crumbs, grated cheese, oregano and/or even a cooked egg (but these are totally optional).
TRADITIONAL SALMOREJO CORDOBÉS
A pretty popular variety of Gazpacho is Salmorejo and you inmmediately recognize it because it is quite thicker. In this case it is associated in the name with the city of Cordoba, another explendorous place in southern spain with a magnificent old mosquee (a must-to-see).
Salmorejo recipe:
To make a thick soup for 4-5 glasses you just need to add to the blender:
- 6-8 ripe tomatoes (1 kilo)
- A thick slice of bread (200 grams or more, up to you)
- 150 ml of virgin extra olive oil.
- 1 dent of garlic (or none)
- A bite of salt (up to your taste)
Mix it all in the blender until you get a proper purée, and that's it...
Same principle with toppings but much more recommended here, you should totally add some cubes of iberian ham (almost mandatory!), bread crumbs, oregano, grated cheese and/or even a cooked egg.
TRADITIONAL AJOBLANCO MALAGUEÑO/EXTREMEÑO
Ajoblanco is considered to be originary possibly as early as from the roman times. The reason for tha claim is that contrary to Salmorejo and Gazpacho all the necessary ingredients can be found locally.
A good place to try Ajoblanco is the coastal city of Malaga. However Ajoblanco is disputed between Andalusia and Extramadura regions so you can also try it in the latter.
Ajoblanco recipe:
To make a soup for 4-5 glasses you just need to add to the blender:
- 100 grams of Almonds (non toasted and preferably with no skin)
- 3/4 Liters of Water (depends how you like it)
- 2 garlic dents
- Bread slice (usually 100 grams or less)
- Olive oil (100 ml)
- White vinager (50 ml or more up to you)
- A bite of salt.
Mix it all in the blender until you get a proper purée, and that's it...
In this one can add some 'fancy' mushrooms, and some people even put red tuna chops (delicious, but please check that it was captured in a sustainable fashion!), for those of you less wealthy you can alternatively add salted anchovis with good results.
So, what is your favorite? Mine depends on the day! hehehe
Textos: Luis R. Pertierra (Fuentes: Propias / Locales / Wikipedia)
Imágenes: Luis R. Pertierra (Australia 2014)
