AJO BLANCO: WHITE GARLIC SOUP WITH GRAPES
FoodTv.com

Recipe courtesy Janet Mendel, taken from her newest book about Spanish culture to be published in 2002
by HarperCollins

6 ounces day old bread (a 3-inch cube), crusts discarded 
1 cup blanched almonds 
3 cloves of garlic 
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil 
5 tablespoons wine vinegar or sherry vinegar 
2 teaspoons salt 
2 1/2 cup water 
12 muscatel grapes, halved and seeded

Put the bread in a bowl and add water to cover. Let soak for 5 minutes until softened. 

Meanwhile, place the almonds and garlic in a blender container (or, if using a hand-held blender, into a
mixing bowl) and pulse until almonds are finely ground. 

Squeeze out the water from the bread. Add to the food processor. Blend to a smooth paste. 

With the motor running, add the olive oil in a slow stream, then the vinegar and salt. 

Thin the ingredients with 1/2 cup of water to the desired consistency. 

Place the blended contents in a tureen, wooden bowl or pitcher and add about 2 cups of water. Taste for
seasoning, add more salt and/or vinegar if necessary. The soup should be fairly tangy. 

Chill until serving time. Stir before serving into bowls. Garnish with grapes.

Yield: 4 servings
Prep Time: 20 minutes