Ajoblanco is one of those Andalusian things our people would understand at once - a cold almond soup, yesterday's bread and a splash of vinegar, food born of scarcity rather than abundance. This summer a chef adds an ingredient now at the peak of its season: the apricot. And suddenly the old poor man's soup looks like it walked out of a restaurant.

The base is simple, and that is exactly why it is unforgiving of mistakes. For four servings you need 180 grams of raw, peeled Marcona almonds, 80 grams of the crumb of yesterday's white bread, one small clove of garlic with the germ removed, 600 millilitres of ice-cold water, 70 millilitres of mild olive oil, 20 millilitres of apple vinegar, salt and freshly ground black pepper.

The method asks for patience, not skill. The bread soaks in water for ten minutes, is squeezed out, then blended together with the almonds, garlic and part of the cold water for about three minutes. Then the rest of the water is added slowly, and the oil is poured in a thin stream - that is the whole secret, otherwise the soup will not come together as it should. At the end vinegar, salt, and it is blended until perfectly smooth. Whoever wants a silky texture strains it through a fine sieve.

Here comes the most important tip: ajoblanco is made a day ahead. A night in the fridge gives it a creaminess, a balance and a depth of flavour that a freshly made soup simply lacks. Sometimes the best dish is the one that knows how to wait.

For the apricot cream - five ripe apricots halved, pitted, roasted at 190 degrees for fifteen minutes until soft, then blended with a little oil, a few drops of lemon and a pinch of salt. And finally, twelve large prawns, peeled with the tail left on, seared on a hot pan for about thirty seconds a side.

It is served cold: ajoblanco at the bottom, prawns on top, dots of apricot cream, pieces of fresh apricot, a basil leaf and a little pink pepper. A dish that looks expensive, yet is made of almonds, stale bread and a bit of patience. The Balkans know this math by heart.