Gluten-Free Salmorejo with Beets

Gluten-Free Salmorejo is Gazpacho’s less popular cousin. But what Salmorejo lacks in fame, it makes up for in flavour!

Never heard of Salmorejo? I’m not surprised! Its more popular cousin Gazpacho gets all the glory these days! But what Salmorejo lacks in fame it makes up for in flavour! Salmorejo Cordobés is a cold tomato soup that hails from Córdoba in the south of Spain. Traditional recipes require blending tomatoes, olive oil, and vinegar with crusty bread to produce a beautifully creamy consistency and orange colour. The soup also calls for raw garlic, which infuses the entire bowl with an unexpected and delightfully intense flavour. It is then topped with crumbled hard-boiled egg and bits of jamón (Spanish dry-cured ham).

This not-so-traditional version replaces the bread with cauliflower and almonds, making it paleo-compliant and gluten-free. Beetroot is then added to enhance the nutritional profile of the dish and also to intensify the soup’s flavour and colour! Rather than the traditional ham and egg, feel free to garnish with a bit more cauliflower and almond, which mimics the traditional toppings and hints at the vegan ingredients in the soup. A few bits of diced avocado help to balance the crunch from the other garnishes and add pops of colour!

INGREDIENTS:

(serves 2 appetizers)

2 vine-ripened tomatoes

¼ cup beetroot

¼ cup cauliflower florets – plus a bit extra for garnish

¼ cup almonds – plus a bit extra for garnish

1 tsp raw garlic

¼ cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 tsp white wine vinegar

½ tsp salt

¼ tsp black pepper

Diced avocado – for garnish

METHOD:

1. Add everything except EVOO to a high-powered blender or food processor. Set the speed to low and blend for 1 minute to incorporate. Stop blender and scrape down the sides with a spatula or wooden spoon.
2. Raise the speed to medium and blend for one more minute or until smooth.
3. Keeping the blender on medium-speed, slowly drizzle-in all of the EVOO (the goal is to create an emulsion). Transfer the mixture to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
4. To serve, ladle the soup into individual bowls and top with chopped cauliflower, almonds and avocado.