Ajo Blanco Food

AJO BLANCO

Steps:

• Combine apple, garlic, bread, grapes, blanched almonds, milk, and 2 cups water in a medium bowl; season with salt. Cover and chill for at least 6 hours and up to 1 day.
• Transfer soup base to a blender and purée, adding water by tablespoonfuls if too thick, until smooth. With motor running, gradually add 3/4 cup oil and 3 tablespoons vinegar and blend until soup is emulsified. Season with salt, pepper, and more vinegar, if desired. Strain soup through a fine-mesh sieve into a large bowl; cover and chill until very cold, about 2 hours. DO AHEAD: Soup can be made 1 day ahead. Keep chilled.
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Spread sliced almonds on a rimmed baking sheet and toast, tossing occasionally, until golden, about 4 minutes. Let cool.
• Divide soup among bowls; top with toasted almonds; drizzle with oil and vinegar.

AJO BLANCO

Steps:

• Blend the ingredients together with 350ml water and 1 tsp salt.
• Let the soup cool in the fridge for 1 hr or so, then serve with a drizzle of oil and some black pepper.

CUCUMBERS WITH AJO BLANCO SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Cut cucumbers about 1" thick on a steep diagonal and place in a medium bowl. Add a large pinch of kosher salt and 2 tsp. vinegar and toss to combine; let marinate 10 minutes. Pour off any liquid that is released.
• Toast 1/4 cup almonds on a rimmed baking sheet, tossing once, until golden, about 5 minutes. Let cool, then coarsely chop. Set aside.
• Blend garlic, oil, remaining 1 tsp. vinegar, remaining ½ cup almonds, and 1/2 cup ice water in a blender until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes; season generously with salt.
• Divide sauce among plates and top with cucumber salad and chopped almonds. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt.
• Do Ahead
• Sauce can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.

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.

GAZPACHO AJO BLANCO

Steps:

• Cover bread with cold water, and let soak for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, cover garlic with water in a small saucepan, and bring to a boil. Cook for 3 minutes; drain.
• Pulse blanched almonds in a food processor until finely ground. Squeeze excess liquid from bread, and transfer bread to food processor. Add cooked garlic, vinegar, and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt. Puree mixture until smooth. With machine running, pour in oil in a slow, steady stream, alternating with cup cold water, blending until emulsified. Blend in remaining 2 1/4 cups cold water. Strain through a fine sieve until smooth, discarding solids. Season with salt. Refrigerate gazpacho until chilled, at least 1 hour (or up to 1 day). Season with salt and pepper.
• Divide chilled gazpacho among 6 bowls or glasses. Drizzle with oil and top with grapes, and Marcona almonds if desired, just before serving.

AJO BLANCO WITH ALMOND, CUCUMBER AND WHITE ANCHOVY SALAD

Steps:

• Ajo Blanco:.
• Place blanched almonds in a bowl and cover with water. Cover and stand overnight.
• Place bread in a bowl and cover with water. Stand for 1 hour. Drain and squeeze excess water from bread.
• Place bread in a food processor with drained almonds and garlic; process until well combined.
• With the motor running, gradually add the 3 3/4 cups water in a thin, steady stream until nuts are finely chopped and mixture is well combined.
• Transfer to a bowl, cover and refrigerate for 2 hours or until chilled.
• Strain soup through a fine seive into a bowl taking care not to push the mixture through as this will result in a gritty soup. Discard the pulp.
• Add the sherry vinegar and mayonnaise; season to taste with salt and pepper. Whisk until just combined and pour into a serving jug.
• Divide and arrange the salad ingredients between 4 bowls. To serve, pour the soup over the salad at the table.