Thursday, May 9, 2013

Salmorejo: A Spanish Soup Recipe in Sonnets

If you have not experienced the intense pleasure of perusing Trevor's haiku posts over at Sis Boom Blog I suggest you do so immediately.  They are quite brilliant, and he really outdid himself for National Haiku Day: He even rendered his entire recipe in haiku form.

To add to the fun, he encourages his readers to leave haiku comments. I am usually glad to oblige, but for Haiku Day I decided to do something a bit different and I left my comment as a sonnet. (Per Sherlock: "Of course I'm showing off. I am a show off. That's what we do.")

And so I thought - why keep my sonnets confined to Trevor's comment section, worthy outlet though  it is?  After all, coming up with some clever prose about every dish I make can feel  a bit ... forced sometimes.

And well, there's nothing contrived or forced about a sonnet recipe is there? I thank you in advance for your indulgence.


On Soup & Salmorejo, a Sonnet Recipe

In states of sloth I feel my wits grow dull
Such times I cannot even bear to write
Would that some shock would crack my drowsy skull
Releasing me from torpor, curing blight

My thoughts turn, as they tend to do, to food
And whether I'll eat salty, savory, or sweet
I search for a morsel that will cure my mood
Be it made of vegetable, mineral or meat

Oftentimes it happens my savior comes as soup
A type from Mexico, or Iceland - perhaps Spain
So curative I find this magical food group
To drink a bowl is never done in vain

To find one's solace in such a dish there is no shame
Indeed, with soup I believe that is the aim


To make this soup is simple; 'tis but a trifle
There are some basic foodstuffs you will need
The results, I trust, you will find quite delightful
But listen to what I say and please take heed

Begin with good tomatoes, fresh or canned will do
Add red pepper, onion & some garlic -  puree well
To this add white bread, to thicken like a roux
Salt, pepper, & a splash of sherry - now taste and smell

And now your salmorejo is nearly done
But there are some final garnishes to add
Hard boiled eggs & crispy bacon - use a ton!
There - now you've made your soup, and aren't you glad?

A homemade soup is one's of life's true pleasures
Nothing less than a bowl of pure liquid treasure





12 comments:

  1. A spectacular soup AND a sonnet? What a treat. Eggs and bacon....

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  2. There once was a lady named Trix
    Writes marvelous posts and those pix!
    Because of her morals
    Won't rest on her laurels
    So writes a mean sonnet for kicks.

    She has thrice written sonnets for me
    when she comments I do say "whoopee"!
    Friends never greater,
    not even the waiter
    will ever mean more I decree!

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  3. I just read a recipe poem... now I can't remember where it was. It was quite old. WHATEVER, you did a great job to versify a fine recipe... looks delish!

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  4. Please, keep indulging! You and Trevor are too clever. xo

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  5. What a brilliant post, sonnet and recipe! I love Trevors comment too. Your soup and sonnet brighten my day and made my tummy grumble. Thanks Trixie!

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  6. I think my poetry peaked with bad limericks...and you and Trevor can do them all! PS...your soup looks fantastic :)

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  7. This will be hard:

    Praised be the cook who the sonnet's claim,
    Severest of the orders that belong
    Distinct and separate to the bakers song,
    Shall venerate, nor its appropriate name
    Lawless assume. Peculiar is its frame
    From him derived who shunned the city throng
    And warbled sweet thy radishes among. Oh I give up...

    XOGREG

    PS I stole a lot of this...

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  8. It sounds delicious, but authentic salmorejo don't have pepper and onion (this is gazpacho). Salmorejo is done with fresh tomatoes, olive oil, bread, garlic and salt. To garnish, boiled eggs and Spanish Ham.
    Besos

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    Replies
    1. Thank you Pilar! Yes, I am definitely not making claims to authenticity - just my version, based on what I ate in Madrid. : )

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  9. It looks so beautiful & yummy. Definitely gonna try this and will let you know how it was! In one word it looks superb!

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  10. Yummm! I want a bowl of that. Looks so delicious. Perfect for rainy afternoon.

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