Ajo Blanco

Step 1

Cut the day-old bread into 1-inch cubes; you should have about 2 cups. Separate about 1 cup of cubes for croutons and leave the rest for the soup.

Step 2

Heat a medium skillet over medium heat and add 2 tablespoons of olive oil until it shimmers and slides quickly when you tilt the pan, about 90 seconds.

Step 3

Add the 1 cup of bread cubes to the hot oil and stir constantly until they turn golden brown on all sides and sound crispy when you tap the pan, about 4–5 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

Step 4

Place the blanched almonds, 3 garlic cloves, and the 2 cups of untoasted bread cubes into a blender in that order.

Step 5

Pour in 2 cups of ice water, the sherry vinegar, and salt, then secure the lid and blend on high speed for 60–90 seconds until the mixture is completely smooth and creamy with no visible bread chunks.

Step 6

While blending, slowly pour in the remaining 1 cup of ice water through the top opening (or the lid cap if removable), blending until the soup reaches the consistency of heavy cream but pours easily when you tilt the blender pitcher.

Step 7

Taste a spoonful: it should taste tangy from vinegar and rich from almonds, with a bright garlic note. If too thick, blend in 2–3 more tablespoons of cold water.

Step 8

Transfer the soup to a covered container or bowl and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes, or up to 4 hours, until cold to the touch.

Step 9

Halve the red grapes lengthwise from tip to root so they don't roll around on the plate.

Step 10

Ladle the cold soup into bowls, dividing it evenly among four servings, aiming to fill each bowl two-thirds full.

Step 11

Top each bowl with a small handful of golden croutons scattered across the surface, a pinch of toasted almonds (about 1 tablespoon per bowl), and a small cluster of halved red grapes in the center.

Step 12

Drizzle the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil evenly over each bowl in a thin stream, finishing the decoration.