Ajo Blanco (Spanish Bread & Almond Soup)
Ajo Blanco, often referred to as "white gazpacho," is a refreshing and creamy cold soup from the Andalusian region of Spain. This traditional dish is made from a blend of blanched almonds, bread, garlic, olive oil, and vinegar, resulting in a velvety texture and a delicate, nutty flavor. Perfect for hot summer days.
Equipment
- High-Speed Blender, (I use Vitamix E310)
Ingredients
- 200 g stale bread (from around 220g fresh bread)
- 1 large garlic clove
- 100 g raw blanched almonds
- 1 tbsp sherry vinegar (15g)
- 1 tsp salt (7g)
- 5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (50g plus extra for finishing)
- A small handful of green grapes (4-6)
Instructions
- Trim away the crusts of the bread until you have 120g of crustless bread (you can dry the leftover crusts and any leftover stale bread, blend them into breadcrumbs and store at room temperature or in the freezer for other recipes). Cut the bread into chunks, add them to a large bowl along with 450ml of cold water and leave to soak in the fridge for 10 minutes.
- Peel the garlic clove, cut it in half and remove the germ (the green bit in the center). Add the garlic halves to a high-speed blender along with the almonds, vinegar, salt, the bread and its soaking liquid. Blend for a minute until smooth, then, with the machine running on low, slowly drizzle in the olive oil like you would do with a mayonnaise to emulsify and thicken the soup. Pour it back into a bowl and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight. If you want, you can also refrigerate the serving bowls 30 minutes before serving.
- To serve, thickly slice the grapes. Then divide the soup over the bowls, garnish with the grapes and drizzle with extra olive oil.
Notes
Storage: Store Ajo Blanco in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.