Ajo blanco … Spain’s ‘white gazpacho’

I love a cold soup, particularly gazpacho. On a recent trip to Mallorca we had Ajo Blanco and it inspired me to make some last night. We had it in the garden with some drinks and other tapas style starters.

Ingredients

220g blanched almonds

200ml cold water

1/2 large cucumber peeled and roughly chopped

2 cloves garlic

150ml good olive oil

Sherry vinegar to taste 1-2 tbs

Grapes or MelonSerrano ham

Method

Toast the almonds at 160C fan, for no longer than 10 minutes, you just want the slightest hint of brown. Leave to cool.

Place in a food processor and blitz for longer than seems necessary… about 10 minutes. Keep scraping down the sides.

Once the almonds are as smooth as you can get them, start trickling in the water until you have the consistency of double cream.

Now add the cucumber, grate in the garlic and blitz again. Finally, with the processor running trickle in the olive oil. This should make the sauce velvety and thick. Then season well with the vinegar and salt, this is a key moment.

Blitz again and keep tasting and adjusting seasoning as needed. Let down with a little water if you think it’s too thick. Add some stale white bread if you think it’s too thin.

To get a less rustic and slightly more elegant finish seive until smooth. Now chill well.

Serve chilled with a few sliced grapes or some small chunks of melon ad some Serrano ham.

Its pretty rich so a small bowl or even a glass is perfect

Comments

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