White Almond Garlic Soup With Grapes Recipes

AJO BLANCO RECIPE - CHILLED ALMOND SOUP

Steps:

• Place the stale bread into the blender and cover with the cold water and vinegar
• Add the strained almonds, diced apple, and garlic
• Pulse in the blender until smooth
• Taste and adjust for salt and vinegar
• Add ice if serving immediately (to make sure it's fully chilled)
• While blending, slowly add the olive oil
• Taste and adjust seasoning
• Chill in the fridge if you have time
• To serve, top with sliced green grapes

ROASTED SWEET GARLIC, BREAD AND ALMOND SOUP

Steps:

• I'm not quite sure where I got the inspiration for this recipe - I think it was actually when I was making bread one day and I incorporated some really sweet caramelized garlic and almonds into a focaccia. There's a slightly Spanish feel to the main ingredients - think of it as putting a bunch of old friends together and having a good party! My mother's initial reaction was, 'My God, that's a lot of garlic, you'll stink!' but don't let the amount put you off, as when garlic is roasted in its skin the pungent flavour is replaced by a jammy sweetness which is divine.
• Roast the garlic cloves in a preheated oven at 180ºC/350ºF/gas 4 for around half an hour until soft to the touch. Meanwhile, take a large pot and slowly fry the white onion in 4 tablespoons of olive oil for about 10 minutes until really soft and translucent. Add the cream and the stock, bring back to the boil and simmer for 10 minutes, awaiting your garlic. Remove the garlic from the oven and allow to cool slightly before squeezing out all the sweet, golden paste. Whisk this into the soup. Discard the garlic skins.
• Remove the crusts from your ciabatta, rip up the bread into small pieces and throw into the soup. Add the sherry vinegar, then allow the soup to simmer for 5 more minutes. Whiz it until smooth in your food processor with your toasted almonds. Season nicely to taste and serve in big bowls sprinkled with some orange segments, torn up coriander and mint, and drizzled with a good lug of extra virgin olive oil.
• Try this: You can eat this cold in the summer - it's obviously going to be thick, which I think is a nice thing, but you can thin it with a little milk or stock if you want to.
• And this: You may want to big up the sherry vinegar to give it that twang you get with a Spanish gazpacho soup.
• Or this: There's a similar recipe from Spain where sliced white grapes are added to the soup - this contrasts really well with the garlic, so give it a go. A handful will do. Nice when eaten both hot and cold.

WHITE ALMOND-GARLIC SOUP WITH GRAPES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the almonds, bread, garlic, milk and vinegar. Working in three batches, transfer about a third of the mixture to a blender and process until smooth. With the motor running, slowly pour in 1/4 cup of olive oil. Strain the soup through a fine mesh sieve into a bowl. Repeat process with the remaining mixture.
• Season the soup to taste with salt and pepper and chill for several hours. Before serving, taste the soup; if it tastes too strongly of either garlic or vinegar, add a bit of water. Serve the soup garnished with grape halves.

AJO BLANCO: WHITE GARLIC SOUP WITH GRAPES

Steps:

• Put the bread in a bowl and add water to cover. Let soak for 5 minutes until softened.
• Meanwhile, place the almonds and garlic in a blender container (or, if using a hand-held blender, into a mixing bowl) and pulse until almonds are finely ground.
• Squeeze out the water from the bread. Add to the food processor. Blend to a smooth paste.
• With the motor running, add the olive oil in a slow stream, then the vinegar and salt.
• Thin the ingredients with 1/2 cup of water to the desired consistency.
• Place the blended contents in a tureen, wooden bowl or pitcher and add about 2 cups of water. Taste for seasoning, add more salt and/or vinegar if necessary. The soup should be fairly tangy.
• Chill until serving time. Stir before serving into bowls. Garnish with grapes.

ALMOND AND GRAPE SOUP

Steps:

• Peel and finely chop onion, garlic and celery root. Toast almonds in hot oil, stirring, until golden-brown. Then stir in onion, garlic and 150 grams (approximately 5 ounces) celery root. Sauté vegetables briefly, then add chicken broth and coconut milk. Simmer, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes.
• Rinse grapes and drain well.
• Puree soup until smooth. Season with salt and cayenne pepper. Divide among bowls, top with grapes and season with freshly ground pepper.
• Serve with white bread, if desired.