Tapas Tuesday: Sopa de Ajo

Sopa de ajo is one of those quintessential Spanish meals that is prepared in every household. It arose out of the necessity to feed a family with very little food. When Rick’s mother Carmen was a child, sopa de ajo was typically made with days old bread, a little garlic and olive oil and enough water to make a broth. If they had an egg or a little meat it would be used as well. Nowadays sopa de ajo is made with richer ingredients but the connection to Spain’s difficult past has not been forgotten.

Don’t you love that terra cotta bowl in the photo? I didn’t have to add a title as it’s part of the decoration on the bowl. It belonged to Rick’s mother who also passed her recipe onto him. He’s spent many hours researching the preparation of sopa de ajo in various bars all over Spain.

This soup is a great way to use bread that’s no longer fresh. We usually use leftover baguette or French bread. If you don’t have jamón or chorizo you can substitute Virginia style country ham or cooked bacon. Rick uses soup base and water in his recipe. Substitute broth if you prefer. Don’t skimp on the garlic. It’s sopa de ajo after all: garlic soup.

Ingredients:

• 3-4 cups day old bread, cubed (we don’t use the crusts)
• 8 cloves (a small head), smashed
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 tablespoon soup base
• 1 1/2 – 2 quarts of water or chicken broth
• 1 oz chorizo or jamón, cut into small pieces
• 1/2 teaspoon pimentón, sweet or smoky
• 1 egg yolk
• salt and pepper

Method:

1. Heat the olive oil in the bottom of a 4 quart sauce pan.
2. Add the garlic and heat briefly.
3. Add the bread cubes and stir until the olive oil is absorbed.
4. Season with salt, pepper and pimentón. The bread cubes will turn an amazing color.
5. Add the water and the soup base (or broth).
6. Heat the soup through.
7. Meanwhile, separate an egg and beat the yolk with about a 1/4 cup of water.
8. Remove the soup from the heat and slowly stir the yolk and water into the soup.
9. Serve immediately.

The color is gorgeous, isn’t it? There are many versions of sopa de ajo. This is the one Rick prefers. I like one we had in Segovia called Sopa de Castilla that’s reminiscent of egg drop soup. Other versions break an egg in the bottom of the bowl and spoon the hot broth over top to cook it. Sopa de Castellano, Sopa de Castilla, it’s all Sopa de Ajo I’ve been told. Trying to name the distinct variations seems to be pointless. Enjoy whichever one fills your bowl!