This complex recipe for Salmorejo Gazpacho with Strawberries, Quail Eggs and Olives has been brought to us from "The Latin Road Home: Savoring the Foods of Ecuador, Spain, Cuba, Mexico, and Peru," the second cookbook by Chef Jose Garces. The book takes you on a food journey through many different Latin regions, with this remarkable recipe hailing from the Spain chapter.

Serves: 8

Ingredients for Soup

• 5 lb ripe beefsteak tomatoes
• 6 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 cup sherry vinegar, plus more to taste
• 1 small day-old baguette, crust removed, torn into 1-inch pieces
• 5 cups extra virgin olive oil
• 1 cup Arbequina olive oil
• Kosher salt
• Granulated sugar (optional)

Ingredients To Serve:

• 16 ripe strawberries, stemmed and halved lengthwise
• 8 Boiled Quail Eggs (page 311 of cookbook), peeled and quartered, or 1 chicken egg, hard-boiled, peeled, chopped
• 2 Tbsp pitted, slivered kalamata olives
• 2 (4-oz) cans ventresca tuna packed in olive oil (see page 117), drained and flaked
• Minced fresh chives (optional)
• Garlic Chips (page 242; optional)

Directions:

Combine the tomatoes, garlic, vinegar, and baguette in a large bowl and mix thoroughly.

Purée in small batches in a blender or food processor for 2 to 3 minutes per batch, until the mixture is very smooth and the tomato seeds are no longer visible. Continue puréeing the mixture while slowly adding the extra virgin olive oil in a thin stream and process until emulsified (try to add proportional amounts of oil to each batch).

Season to taste with salt.

Strain through a fine-mesh sieve, pressing through the solids with the back of a wooden spoon.

Working in batches, return a portion of the purée to the blender. With the machine running, slowly add a proportional amount of the Arbequina olive oil in a thin stream, processing until the mixture is emulsified.

Again season to taste with salt and (if necessary) sugar and/or additional vinegar.

Repeat with the remaining portions of the tomato purée and Arbequina oil, then whisk the batches together. Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt and sugar.

Cover and refrigerate the soup until it is well chilled, at least 1 hour.

For the garnish, first char the strawberries. Heat a cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Place the strawberries in the pan and quickly char on one side. Remove the berries from the skillet and keep warm.

Serve the salmorejo cold, garnished with the warm charred strawberries, quail eggs, olives, tuna, chives, and garlic chips.