Ajo Blanco: White Gaspacho Soup

 Ajo blanco, a version of gazpacho, is made with almonds instead of tomatoes. It's garlicky and creamy without adding cream, making it an ideal for those of you looking for low-fat recipes and for vegans. I found this recipe on the internet and it seemed a perfect dish for summer. It's very popular in the Spanish coastal town of Malaga. 

 Ingredients

• 3 cups cubed, crustless rustic bread
• 4 cloves garlic peeled
• 1 cup blanched whole almonds
• 1 tbsp. sherry vinegar
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2 1/2 cups cold water
• 1 cup sliced seedless grapes 
• salt to taste 

Instructions

1. • 1
     Place the bread cubes in a medium sized bowl, and cover with water (approximately 4 cups) until the bread cubes are fully immersed. Allow to soak for 10 minutes.
   • 2
     Place the blanched almonds and the peeled garlic cloves in the food processor and process until finely ground--approximately 2 minutes.
   • 3
     Squeeze the water out of the soaked bread cubes, and add the bread to the food processor. With the food processor still running, gradually add the extra virgin olive oil, sherry vinegar and the cold water until the mixture becomes smooth and creamy.
   • 4
     Season the soup with salt to your liking. Pour the gazpacho into individual serving bowls and garnish with the sliced seedless grapes.

• If grapes are unavailable, the gazpacho can be garnished with coarsely chopped green apples instead.
• The white gazpacho can be made ahead and kept in a sealed container in the refrigerator until serving time.

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