Ajo Blanco (Spanish Chilled Almond Soup)

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Ajo Blanco (Spanish Chilled Almond Soup)

Prep Time15

Course: Appetizer, Side Dish

Cuisine: spanish

Servings:

Author: Daen Lia

Ingredients

120 g blanched almonds
2 cups stale white bread crusts removed and cut into large pieces
2 cups water
1/4 cup olive oil plus extra to serve
2 tsp sherry vinegar
1 garlic clove germ removed
salt
green grapes halved, to serve

Instructions

Soak the bread. Place the stale bread into a high powered blender and pour over the water. Leave to soak for 10 minutes or until the bread has softened.
Blend the soup. Add the blanched almonds, garlic and sherry vinegar to the blender. Blend on high until smooth and creamy. With the blender running on low, slowly drizzle in the olive oil until fully incorporated. Season with salt to taste.
Chill and serve. Transfer the soup to an airtight container and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or until thoroughly chilled. Divide between four small bowls and finish with halved green grapes and an extra drizzle of olive oil.

Notes

Blanched almonds: Make sure you use almonds with their skins removed for a smooth texture and the soup's signature pale colour.

Stale bread: Day old white bread works best for this recipe. Remove the crusts before soaking.

Garlic: Removing the germ from the centre of the garlic clove helps mellow its flavour, particularly as the garlic is used raw.

Consistency: Ajo blanco should be smooth, creamy and pourable. If the soup is too thick, add a little extra cold water and blend until you reach your desired consistency.

Serving: This recipe makes four small servings, perfect as a starter. Serve very cold with halved green grapes and a drizzle of good quality olive oil.

Storage: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Give the soup a good stir before serving as it may naturally separate.

Serving immediately: If you don't have time to chill the soup, simply blend in a handful of ice cubes until smooth and cold. This will allow you to skip the chilling time entirely. Just be mindful that the ice will slightly thin out the soup.

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