Mazamorra cordobesa, an Andalusian recipe that triumphs in summer and winter
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Total: 25 min Diners: 4
Just as in summer and in Arab countries they fight the heat with the botijo effect and many people take, for example, a stew or a fabada, why in Spain we are not going to take in winter salmorejo or any other cold cream?
Also, it seems that these days give good weather and there are some places in Spain where they are even going to the beach now. The truth is that, although there are many light cold soups that satiate us and provide the energy needed to face a new and long working day respecting the few calories and fat, the mazamorra is not one of them.
We are talking today about a kind of almost spreadable that is made from bread, lots of almonds and plenty of oil so it is not exactly light but, yes, it’s great. I still remember a dish based on mazamorra cordobesa made by the great Paco Morales in his time at Altrapo in Madrid: the cream base was very soft and on top he put refreshing toppings that invited not stop eating.
The mazamorra has no complications, it takes very little time to make and lasts quite long in the fridge although we will have to control the strength of the garlic that can go up as the hours pass. Although it is a summer classic it is also a very worthy option for the winter, which claims to be the predecessor of salmorejo.
According to legend, already in Roman times, Marco Gavio Apicio, the famous gourmet of the first century, introduced a recipe for bread soaked and mashed with garlic, oil and vinegar. Later, when the discovery of America brought the appearance of tomatoes, they were added to provide a silkier texture and to soften the flavor of garlic (here is the invention of salmorejo).
It differs from white garlic because it carries, in addition to the above, a good amount of water. Come on, if you like almonds (essential for a healthy diet) this cream will be the perfect base for you to develop your gastronomic imagination.
Tradition says that it is usually accompanied by hard boiled eggs and olives but, on this occasion, to give it a more traveled touch, I have added raw lychees. They give it a sweet taste, but at the same time acidic and very aromatic that works very well with the intensity of the garlic.
As for the bread to use, I recommend if you do not have telera bread at hand, a bread similar to the candeal – the original of the recipe – with a crunchy crust and a soft crumb, a good loaf of sourdough bread not too acidic. Its great crumb will be great for this recipe that you will make in less than 10 minutes.
How to make mazamorra cordobesa
Ingredients
. Sourdough bread crumbs, 2 large loaf slices Raw almonds, 150 g Garlic clove, 1 pc Mild olive oil, 150 ml Vinegar, 1 tablespoon Salt, c/s Free-range eggs, 2 pc Lychees, 8 pc Basil leaves, to taste
Step 1
Hydrate the bread in water for a minimum of half an hour. Then remove all the crust part and take advantage of the crumb.
Step 2
In a blender, food processor or mixing glass, grind the almonds with the garlic clove, previously removed the germ and peeled. Removing the germ makes us lose garlic power so the cream will be more elegant. We could also blanch the garlic in boiling water for 20 seconds to make it even softer. Incorporate the bread and mash everything well. It will cost, we are talking about an unctuous paste.
Step 3
As everything is being mashed, add the oil in a thin stream so that everything is emulsified very well and also the vinegar. Adjust the salt. And grind so that it is very fine. If you want to make the task easier you can use almond flour (already crushed).
Step 4
Put water on the fire and, when it boils, introduce the eggs and count 8 minutes. Cool quickly in a bowl of ice water and peel and chop. Also peel the lychees and cut into quarters. Serve the mazamorra cordobesa with pieces of hard-boiled egg, pieces of lychee and basil leaves.
