Ingredients:
1 can white beans, drained and rinsed
500 g ripe tomatoes
3 cloves garlic
4 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp sherry vinegar
Salt
Black pepper
Optional extras/to serve:
2 hard boiled eggs, peeled and chopped roughly.
Handful of pitted olives
A few slices of good Jamon - cured Spanish ham.
Method:
Place all the ingredients, except the salt and pepper, into a blender and puree until smooth.
Taste and season.
Serve with green olives, cured meats, hard boiled eggs, or a combination thereof.
Store in the fridge, will keep for 3-4 days.
When taking out for a hike, make sure to decant into an insulated bottle, which you have chilled in the fridge overnight.
This classic chilled soup, originating from the south of Spain is perfect for a hot summer hike. This is a gluten free version, combining a healthy dose of vitamins, electrolytes, protein and fat. This soup is a world away from some cheap instant soup powder which offers way less in terms of energy for a long day in the mountains.
The additional weight of carrying this up the trail will be rewarded when you serve it to your friends and see their faces light up.
Note: To really get a sense of how this should taste, make sure you use properly ripe tomatoes, which should smell fragrant.