Recipe: salmorejo with acorn-fed Iberico ham

Now that summer is here, you fancy something cool, don't you? We have a wonderful recipe for salmorejo with acorn-fed Iberico ham, ideal before lunch. It is made in no time with a blender, left to chill in the fridge and served without any fuss: that is why it is one of those dishes that save any summer meal.

Salmorejo is a humble recipe with very few ingredients: tomato, bread, olive oil, garlic and salt. Precisely because of that, the quality of each one really shows. It is worth looking for truly ripe tomatoes, an extra virgin olive oil you like and, to finish, some shavings of good acorn-fed Iberico ham, which provide the salty, crunchy contrast that rounds off the dish.

Ingredients (serves 4)

• 1 kg very ripe red tomatoes (about 8 tomatoes)
• 200 g bread (preferably from the day before)
• 1 clove of garlic
• Salt
• 150 ml extra virgin olive oil
• 1 egg (optional, for serving)
• Shavings of acorn-fed Iberico ham

Method

After washing the tomatoes, we cut them into quarters and blend them with a blender. We strain the sauce to remove the seeds and any bits of skin.

We cut the bread into small pieces and add it to the blended tomatoes so that it softens. We leave it for about 10 minutes.

We add the whole garlic clove (peeled beforehand and with the germ removed, so the garlic does not repeat on you), the oil and salt to taste. We blend everything again until we have a smooth cream.

To serve it well chilled, we recommend putting it in the fridge for one or two hours.

When we are ready to take it out, we heat the Iberico ham shavings in the microwave for 10 seconds so that they turn crispy.

We can also boil an egg and serve the salmorejo with chopped hard-boiled egg.

We serve it in bowls and add the Iberico ham shavings and the egg to taste.

Tips to get your salmorejo just right

The tomato rules. The riper and more in season it is, the sweeter and more colourful the cream will be. Plum tomatoes or very red salad tomatoes work very well; if the tomato is unripe or tasteless, the salmorejo will suffer for it however much we fine-tune the rest.

As for the bread, a white loaf with a dense crumb, left to firm up from the day before, is best, as the recipe says: it soaks up the tomato without falling apart and gives the cream body. The quantity can be adjusted depending on how thick we like it; it is always easier to add a little more bread at the end than to correct a salmorejo that is too thick.

The oil is best added little by little, with the blender running, as if we were making mayonnaise. That way the cream emulsifies, becomes creamier and takes on that bright orange colour so typical of a well-made salmorejo.

One last tip: check the seasoning once the salmorejo is already cold. The cold dulls flavours, and what seemed just right when freshly blended may fall short when it comes out of the fridge. Adjusting it then takes just a minute.

The ham: in shavings and always at the last minute

The Iberico acorn-fed ham shavings are the crowning touch of this dish, and they deserve to be treated accordingly. First things first: add them just before serving. If we put them in too early, the moisture from the cream softens them and we lose that crunchy contrast we are after.

If we are starting from a pack of sliced ham, simply tear the slices by hand or snip them into small strips with kitchen scissors. And if we are carving a whole piece, it is the perfect opportunity to make use of the trimmings and the little cubes near the bone, which, finely chopped, look wonderful on top of the cream. The quick burst in the microwave that the recipe calls for warms the fat slightly and leaves the ham crispier and more aromatic.

How to serve it: as a starter or an appetiser

In individual bowls, with ham shavings, chopped hard-boiled egg and a fine drizzle of raw extra virgin olive oil on top, salmorejo makes a first-class starter. But it also works brilliantly as an appetiser: served in small glasses with a ham shaving on top, it takes care of the nibbles at a family meal or a summer celebration without switching on a single hob.

Another option that goes down very well at home is to put it in the middle of the table with picos or regañás for dipping, alongside a plate of freshly cut ham. Everyone helps themselves at their own pace and the starter becomes a conversation.

If there are leftovers, good news

Salmorejo keeps well in the fridge until the next day, covered so that it does not pick up flavours from other foods. Before serving it again, simply give it a stir, as it may separate slightly while it rests. And if we do not fancy the same dish twice, it makes an excellent sauce: on a toast with ham, as a base for a cold pasta salad or to accompany some griddled vegetables.

Frequently asked questions about salmorejo with ham

How is salmorejo different from gazpacho?

Although they share Andalusian roots and a summery calling, they are not the same. Gazpacho contains more vegetables (cucumber, pepper, sometimes onion) and is lighter, almost something to drink. Salmorejo is made only with tomato, bread, oil, garlic and salt, and is much thicker and creamier: it is eaten with a spoon and pairs wonderfully with toppings such as ham and hard-boiled egg.

Can I make it in advance?

Yes, and in fact it improves. Resting in the cold lets the flavours settle and brings the cream to its ideal serving temperature. The only things worth saving for the last moment are the ham and the hard-boiled egg: added just before serving, they keep their texture and the dish looks freshly made.

Which ham goes best with salmorejo?

An Iberico acorn-fed ham. On a smooth, cold cream like this one, its deep flavour and melt-in-the-mouth fat really shine, and the contrast with the sweetness of the tomato is a memorable one. That said, any good, well-cut ham will improve the dish; the important thing is to chop it finely and add it at the moment of serving.

What do I do if it turns out too thick or too runny?

It can be fixed either way. If it has turned out very dense, lighten it by blending in a little very cold water or more crushed tomato. If it has turned out runny, add a little more bread, leave it to soak for a few minutes and blend again. The ideal texture is one that leaves a trail when you draw the spoon through it.

The crunchy touch of Iberico acorn-fed ham turns a homemade salmorejo into a celebration starter.