Tomatoes are plentiful at the moment and it is not an accident if the Italians call this wonderful fruit "pomodoro" (translating: golden apple).
It is rich in :
Fibre, supporting our digestion and gut health
Vitamins (mainly A and C), supporting healthy skin, immune functions and iron absorption
Minerals, in particular Potassium, which plays an important role in our cardio-vascular health
Phytochemicals such as beta-carotene, lutein and lycopene. These polyphenols are believe to play an interesting role in our skin, eyes and heart health.
Here is a great recipe for a wonderful cold Spanish soup.
SALMOREJO
Ingredients (serving 4 portions):
1 kg tomatoes
100 g stale bread, crust removed
1 garlic cloves
1 tbsp Sherry vinegar
2 hard boiled eggs
100 ml olive oil
Chive and roasted chickpeas (optional)
Salt
Instructions
0. Optional: for a very smooth and michelin-star finish you could peel you tomatoes (but if in a rush or want to take shortcuts, skip this step 0)
To do so, make cross with a pairing knife at the bottom of each tomatoes (no need to go deep, you just want to slash the skin layer here).
Drop them 2 by 2 in a large pan of boiling water for 10-20 seconds unit the skin starts to break and then place them in bowl of iced water to stop them cooking. The skin should peel peel off easily.
1. In a blender, place your tomatoes roughly chopped, and whizz them. Add the bread, garlic clove, sherry vinegar, a pinch of salt and 1 hard-boiled egg, and whizz it full speed for a good minute until totally smooth.
2. Reduce the speed of the blender and add progressively the olive oil, to create an emulsion.
3. Taste the soup and adjust the seasoning, playing with salt, olive oil and sherry vinegar to get the perfect flavour.
4. Set aside in the fridge until ready to serve. It should be eaten cold. And to make it beautiful you can sprinkle on top some mashed up hard-boiled egg, roasted chickpeas and chive (in the picture above, I have also added some 'Iberico ham chips').