One of the things you cannot really miss while visiting Cordoba is the typical Salmorejo cordobés.
Salmorejo is a classic soup made primarily with tomatoes and bread. It is frequently made with pan de telera, a type of hard roll, which thickens the soup, but anything from a ciabatta to a rustic white loaf is good.
More than a dish, Salmorejo is a cultural product, a symbol of both tradition and innovation.
HISTORY
The history of Salmorejo goes back to the Roman Empire. Legend tells that it was the Romans who brought bread into the Spanish cuisine (soups, porridge, etc).
At that time, soldiers used to eat bowls of bread, vinegar and water. Consequently, all the ingredients finished mixing between each other, creating a kind of soup. The Spanish got used to it and quickly introduced the “soup” in their diet.
As Romans used mortarium to grind food, also Salmorejo started to be prepared with this technique.
Nevertheless, Cordoba was the one who distinguished itself. In fact, during the caliphate, the city included Arab influences in its kitchen and in the old version of Salmorejo.
Therefore garlic, salt, crumb of bread and crude oil began the prototype of today’s Salmorejo.
But… there was still something missing! This version seemed to be too… white!
Actually, before the discovery of America the recipe had no tomatoes, since these were brought from the new continent! After the discovery, Spaniards tried to add tomatoes to the preparation and the result was amazing.
Last step was the integration of the electric mixer in the 70’s. Thanks to it, Salmorejo evolved completely and took the creamy form that we know today.
MODERN DAYS
Nowadays, Salmorejo is very fashionable and appreciated throughout the year in the Andalusia regions and it is served with shredded ham (and sometimes boiled eggs) on top.
Last but not least, another great thing about Salmorejo is the recipe: as you may have understood, it is made with inexpensive and common ingredients and it is very easy to prepare!
This makes Salmorejo a great choice for people who want to enjoy a little taste of Spanish gastronomy, albeit on a tight budget.
If you liked this article, you may also like the one of Parmigiana di Melanzane.
REFENCIES
Salmorejo Recipe | Spanish-food.org. 2022. Salmorejo Recipe | Spanish-food.org. [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.spanish-food.org/cold-and-hot-soups-and-sauces-salmorejo.html. [Accessed 24 February 2022].
SeeByBike Blog. 2022. SALMOREJO (en) | SeeByBike Blog. [ONLINE] Available at: https://seebybike.com/blog/salmorejo/. [Accessed 24 February 2022].
Written by Giulia Battisti
Giulia holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Languages for translating and interpretation and a Master’s Degree in Digital Marketing and Global Markets. She is now combining the two careers as a Communication Trainee in the Terminology Coordination Unit of the European Parliament.