Summer Soup

Salmorejo, a Spanish cold soup, has been our lunch for quite a few days lately. The main difference to gaspacho is the texture, this is creamier, thicker because it has bread in it, and more olive oil. After making it once, according to the recipe, which calls for cutting the crusts off the bread, soaking it in water overnight and peeling the tomatoes, then sieving it all, I've tended to buy it in cartons, like milk here. Just too much hassle!

But decided, with bread going rock hard, and loads of tomatoes, I'd try a simplified version. Broke the bread up and squashed it into the water with my potato masher. Chopped the tomatoes and added. Whizzed it all until smooth with the stick blender. As we're trying not to eat processed meat, subbed the Iberian ham with chopped red peppers. Took a leaf out of Netty's book, and hard boiled several eggs at once, so didn't even light the stove for that today. Perfectly delicious, healthy, easy, and so good on a hot day.

So, here's my recipe:
- about a kilo of tomatoes (I used one huge beef tomato), or whatever you have on hand
- stale bread, whatever old crusts you have, about half a small loaf, but whatever you have - soak in water and some vinegar, then squash out the water (which you can use for the next batch)
- a clove or two of garlic
- half a cup or less of olive oil 
- salt
- decorate with a chopped hard boiled egg and chopped peppers, or sliced avocados or cubed cheese, herbs, pepper, balsamic glaze...

Can add other bits that need using, like cucumber or onion, or potato - the one above had a bit of leftover mashed potato. It's surely a dish to use leftovers, so I imagine almost anything goes. Obviously, the better the tomatoes and the olive oil, the better it will taste.

And serve as cold as possible - I made this yesterday and kept in the fridge until today. I've whizzed in ice cubes before now, but can make it too watery.

Gratefuls:
- good food that doesn't need cooking and uses up what we have
- Mike sorting our water problems by adjusting the pressure switch
- after a conversation in the post office, going down a fascinating rabbit hole about euro notes, found out so many interesting details