Ajo Blanco (Garlic soup)

Johntodd

1 cup almonds, toasted

1 cup torn, crustless white bread

2 medium cucumbers, peeled and sliced

2 scallions or one spring onion, all the white and most of the green parts, thinly sliced

1 or several garlic cloves, pounded (we went with several)

2 tsp. sherry vinegar

¼ cup good olive oil, plus a little for drizzling on top of the soup

½ tsp. kosher or sea salt

6 to 8 ice cubes

1 small ripe green melon, peeled, seeded, cut into bite-sized cubes

6 mint leaves, thinly sliced

Bring a saucepan of water to a boil for boiling and peeling the almonds. The skins will slip right off most satisfyingly while the almonds are still hot out of the water, so work in batches: drop a small handful in the boiling water and fish them out after a minute.

As soon as you can handle them, squeeze each almond to slip the skin off. If the skin sticks, dip the offender back in the water to loosen it. Discard the skins.

Tear the bread into a large mixing bowl. Add the cucumbers, almonds, scallions or spring onions, garlic, vinegar, live oil, and salt. Add the ice cubes, stir well to get the juices going, and refrigerate for 20 to 30 minutes to marinate and chill.

Puree the soup in the blender, in batches if necessary and adding little splashes of water as needed to get it going. Pass through a strainer for a silkier texture, taste, adjust, and serve cold, scattered with cubes of melon and slices of mint, and drizzled with olive oil.

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