Ajoblanco (Spanish Cold Almond Soup)

Ingredients

• 100 g stale bread (crust removed; approximately 1/2 loaf)
• 1 cup almonds (soaked and peeled)
• 1 garlic (small clove; start with 1/2 clove to avoid overpowering)
• 1 tsp sherry vinegar (up to 3 tsp to taste)
• 700 ml cold water (divided; use more or less for desired consistency)
• 70 ml olive oil (good quality)
• salt (to taste)
• black pepper (to taste)
• fresh fruit (sliced grapes, peach, or melon for serving)
• cured ham (optional garnish)

Steps

1. 1

   Soak your almonds in water for a couple of hours or ideally overnight to soften them and make peeling easier.

2. 2

   In a high-speed blender, combine the soaked and peeled almonds, stale bread (crusts removed), garlic clove, sherry vinegar, and approximately 3/4 of the cold water.

3. 3

   Blend the mixture until smooth. If the consistency is too thick, gradually add the remaining water until it reaches your desired soup thickness.

4. 4

   With the blender running on a low speed, slowly stream in the olive oil to emulsify the soup, creating a creamy texture.

5. 5

   Taste the soup and season with salt, pepper, and additional sherry vinegar if needed.

6. 6

   Transfer the soup to the refrigerator and let it chill for at least a couple of hours; this allows the flavors to strengthen and meld.

7. 7

   Serve the soup cold in bowls. Garnish with sliced grapes or your choice of fruit (peach and melon work well) and optional ham.

8. 8

   Finish with a final drizzle of high-quality olive oil before serving.

Notes

Pro tips: Start with only 1/2 clove of garlic as raw garlic can quickly become overpowering. You can toast a few of the almonds before blending to add more depth of flavor. Always use a high-quality olive oil as it is a primary flavor component.

Nutrition per serving

• appetizer
• soup
• vegetarian
• cold soup
• summer
• no-cook
• Spanish cuisine