Ajoblanco Extremeño

Ajoblanco Extremeño belongs to Extremadura, and it is not the almond ajoblanco of Málaga. This one is poorer and sharper: day-old bread, garlic, olive oil, egg yolk, vinegar, salt, and icy water. No almonds. Add them and you have made another good soup, but not this one.

The method that decides it is the emulsion. Mash the garlic and salt first, work in the soaked bread and egg yolk, then add the olive oil slowly, as if you were beginning an allioli, the garlic-oil sauce. If you pour the oil in all at once, it floats and tastes raw. Go slowly and the soup turns pale, smooth, and held together.

If you're far from Extremadura, use a plain country loaf with a tight crumb, not sliced sandwich bread if you can help it. Sherry vinegar is good here; a mild white wine vinegar works if that's what the cupboard gives you, though the edge will be plainer. Chill it hard, taste it cold, and serve it bien fresquito, very cold. Siempre sale, si lo sigues.