MOONINSPAIN

Inspired by my recent travels and past posts here!

When in Córdoba, you must try a variety of local dishes. Fried eggplant with sugarcane honey, flamenquin (a lovely fried roll of pork loin and jamón), oxtail stew, and a traditional sweet called “Manolete”. 

Then we have what for me are the king and queen of all Cordobés dishes. Mazamorra and Salmorejo. 

Long before the tomato arrived in Europe, people were preparing dishes that involved the mashing or creaming of many products, like almonds and bread. Mazamorra is a thicker version of the Ajoblanco explained in my previous article. The word mazamorra most likely comes from the Greek word “mâza” (a barley cake) or másso (to knead), just like in the word mazapán (marzipan). Amasar in Castilian Spanish means to mash or to knead. There are different theories about the etymology of the word. 

Mazamorra is also prepared in different South and Central American countries and can date back to the Aztecs and Mayas where it was prepared with cornmeal. It can be a salty dish, dessert, or a drink depending on the country. The mazamorra cordobesa is completely different from these dishes that originated in the Andes.

 In Córdoba, it is a cold cream served with bread or sesame breadsticks. This Mazamorra is simply prepared with bread, almonds, olive oil, salt, and garlic. While Ajoblanco has similar ingredients, the Mazamorra requires more bread. You can find different variations depending on the home or restaurant.  One of my favorite Mazamorras is served at Casa Rubio in Córdoba. Their version is very light on the garlic (at home I add more), and it is garnished with almonds, apples, and raisins. The texture is smooth as silk. 

Let us move on to Salmorejo. We can say that Mazamorra is to Ajoblanco as Salmorejo is to Gazpacho. 

Summer in Spain means gazpacho. I’ll never forget my first year in Granada when I studied at the Centro de Lenguas Modernas. I actually did study and go to most of my classes. Something that is not easy for a student in a city that doesn’t sleep. We had great professors from the University of Granada. My Islamic Studies professor ended up being an advisor for my Master’s degree years later. We did go out a lot. I’m sure I saw the sun rise more that year than I ever have since. Bar Alfonso was a great family restaurant in the Realejo quarter with a menu of the day for about 600 pesetas (about $2.50). When the weather got warmer and I was in need of some serious vitamins, I would go to Bar Alfonso for a tall glass of his wife’s gazpacho. It would revive me and give me the energy to make it through my classes.

In my mind, gazpacho is a beverage served in a glass with ice. I never translate it to “cold soup” which has never sounded appetizing to me. You will find it served in a bowl in some restaurants but that still doesn’t make it a soup in my eyes. My daughter’s Grandmother prepares Gazpacho a la Antigua which is similar to a salad with all the gazpacho ingredients chopped and served in cold water with the addition of cumin. You could call it gazpacho, salad, or salsa depending on where you are from.

Salmorejo at Casa Rubio in Córdoba

My favorite relative to gazpacho is the Salmorejo. Salmorejo is deeply rooted in the city of Córdoba where it is a regional specialty. My dear friend Charo from the town of Cabra in the province of Córdoba was my first Salmorejo instructor over 20 years ago. Unlike it’s cousin, gazpacho, Salmorejo is not always considered a seasonal dish. Even though the base is tomato, you can find Salmorejo year round in many places. The ingredients are simple: tomato, bread (no crust), olive oil and salt. It is blended to a cream and garnished with egg and strips of jamón. In Andalucia you will also find Porra in Antequera, Loja and Granada. This is very similar to their cousin, Salmorejo, but served with some tuna hiding underneath the tomato cream. 

Above is a “white porra” that we enjoyed in Antequera. It was made with almonds and garnished with mango ice-cream. The restaurant is called Bienmesabe Santa Maria.

Tomorrow the weather is supposed to change a bit, but I know that I still have a few weeks ahead to purchase the fresh ingredients for salmorejo and gazpacho from my friend Manolo, who has a great garden along the river.