Salmorejo Without Bread Recipes

Steps:

• Place the tomatoes, bread, bell pepper, onion, and garlic in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade or in the glass jar of a blender and puree until you can only see tiny bits of the tomato skins. Pour the puree into a large bowl and whisk in the tomato puree, sherry vinegar, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Slowly whisk in the olive oil, cover, and refrigerate for just 2 hours for the flavors to blend. (If you refrigerate the soup for more than 2 hours, prepare the soup without the olive oil, refrigerate, and whisk in the olive oil before serving. The olive oil congeals in the soup if you refrigerate them together for more than 2 hours.)
• Serve cold in shallow bowls and top with the warm toasted croutons, halved cherry tomatoes, julienned basil leaves, flaked sea salt, and a drizzle of olive oil.
• To toast croutons, pour 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a small (8-inch) saute pan and heat over medium-high heat until a drop of water splashed in the pan sizzles. Add the bread cubes and saute, tossing occasionally, for 4 to 5 minutes, until the bread is evenly browned. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper.

Steps:

• Place the bread in a bowl, and cover with cold water. Allow to sit for a few minutes, then drain and squeeze the water from the bread. Return the bread to the bowl, and place a strainer over the bowl.
• Cut the peeled tomatoes in half across the equator, and squeeze out the seeds over the strainer. Rub the seed pods against the strainer to extract as much juice as you can. Discard the seeds. Chop the tomatoes coarsely, and add to the bowl with the bread and tomato juice. Add the garlic, 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, the vinegar and salt to taste. Toss together and leave to marinate for 30 minutes.
• Transfer to a blender, and blend at high speed until homogenized (you will probably have to do this in two batches). While the blender is running, drizzle in the remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Pour into the bowl, taste and adjust seasoning, adding more salt if desired. Cover and chill for at least two hours.
• Serve, garnishing each bowl with diced green or poblano pepper and a drizzle of olive oil.

Steps:

• Squeeze seeds and pulp from 3 pound ripe halved tomatoes into a strainer set over a large bowl. Press solids to release as much liquid as possible; discard solids. Core and chop tomatoes; add to bowl.
• Combine 3 toasted, chopped 4x4x1/2" slices white sandwich bread, 1/4 cup toasted slivered almonds, and 4 smashed garlic cloves in a blender. Pulse until chopped. Add tomatoes with liquid to blender in batches, puréeing until very smooth. Add 1 teaspoon Sherry vinegar. With blender running, gradually add 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil. Purée until emulsified and frothy, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and more vinegar, if desired. Chill until cold, about 2 hours. Season to taste again with salt and vinegar.
• Divide soup among small bowls or glasses. Garnish with thinly sliced Serrano ham or prosciutto and chopped hard-boiled egg. Drizzle with more oil.