Almond soup

• Makes 6 to 8 servings

Ingredients:

• • ¼ pound (110 g) firmly textured day-old bread
  • 3 new or very fresh garlic cloves or 2 mature garlic cloves, peeled
  • 1 cup (140 g) Marcona almonds, skinned
  • ½ cup (125 ml) extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 ounces (60 g) seedless green grapes
  • ¼ cup (60 ml) crème fraîche
  • 2 to 3 teaspoons sherry vinegar, or to taste
  • Fine sea salt and freshly ground white pepper
• For the garnish:
  • 4 to 6 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 6 to 8 seedless green grapes, cut in half
  • 6 to 8 Marcona almonds, skinned, lightly toasted, and cut in half horizontally

Description:

1. 1. Place the bread in a medium bowl and just cover it with water. Let it sit for about 30 minutes, or until it is soft through. To drain the bread, pick it up by small handfuls and place it in the palm of one hand. Cover with the palm of your other hand so your hands are cupped, and squeeze very gently, slowly, and firmly, so that you squeeze out the water without mashing the bread, allowing the bread to retain its integrity. The bread should be just slightly moist.
   2. In a food processor, puree the garlic, the almonds, and ¼ cup (60 ml) of the olive oil. Add the grapes, the drained bread, the crème fraîche, and about 1 cup (250 ml) filtered water, enough to make a smooth puree about the consistency of heavy cream.
   3. If desired, transfer the mixture to a sieve or tamis and strain it through. Season the soup to taste with sherry vinegar, salt, and white pepper. Chill, covered, for at least 2 hours before serving.
   4. To serve, adjust the seasoning and the texture of the soup (by adding a bit of water if necessary), then transfer the soup to shallow soup bowls. Garnish each bowl with a drizzle of olive oil, two grape halves, and two almond halves.

Note: The texture of this soup has a great deal to do with the type of bread you use. Best is a rustic-textured baguette style. The original recipe called for the soup to be passed through a sieve, but I don’t strain it because I like the subtle texture of the ground almonds.

1. 1. One of the beauties of this soup is that you can make it the day before you plan to serve it. Before serving, adjust the texture by adding water a tablespoon at a time, if necessary, then carefully season it. Don’t cut the garnish grapes until right before you plan to serve the soup, as they will darken.
   2. This soup is best made in the autumn when grapes are flavorful and garlic still has a bright freshness to it.