Cordoban thick tomato cream soup (Salmorejo)

1. Hard-boil the eggs for 10 minutes, cool in cold water, peel and chop finely.

2. Roughly chop the tomatoes and blend completely smooth with the garlic and salt; push through a sieve to remove skins and seeds.

3. Tear the day-old bread without crust into pieces, add to the tomato juice and leave to soak for 10 minutes.

4. Pour back into the blender, add the sherry vinegar and slowly drizzle in the olive oil with the motor running until you have a thick, velvety cream that almost holds a spoon upright.

5. Season with salt and chill for at least 1 hour.

6. Serve cold in bowls, topped with finely chopped serrano ham and boiled egg and a drizzle of olive oil.

Tip: Salmorejo is much thicker than gazpacho: you need enough bread for a spoon to stand up in it.