Chilled Cream of Fire-Charred Tomato Soup with Basil Coulis

Cream of tomato soup is probably my favorite soup. I usually don’t make it much in the summer, which is a shame, because it is extra good with fresh home-grown tomatoes. I decided to see if I could turn a winter staple into a summer favorite.

Ingredients
7 to 8 large farm-fresh tomatoes
1/4 cup onions, coarsely chopped
1 to 2 fresh garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon rice or white wine vinegar
6 ounces plain yogurt
1/2 teaspoon salt
Dash of cayenne pepper

Method

* Heat a grill (gas or charcoal) to high. Using tongs and a paper towel dipped in cooking oil, grease the grates.
* Place the whole tomatoes directly on the grill. Rotate as the skin is charred. Once the skin starts to slip off, place in a bowl to cool. Note: This can be done a day in advance.
* After tomatoes have cooled, peel and core them. Be sure to catch and save any tomato juice.
* Place all ingredients in a blender and process until smooth. Salt and pepper to taste.
* Refrigerate for at least one hour before serving.
* Garnish with a hefty swirl of basil coulis.
Serves four.

Non-grill variation:
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Make an X with a knife on the bottom of each tomato and place in the boiling water for a few minutes. Remove and cool in iced water. The peels should easily slip off. Return to main recipe.

Basil Coulis

This delicious basil oil is something I plan to keep on hand all summer. It adds a nice splash of color and intense basil taste to any dish. Try it in soups, pasta, crostini, grilled chicken, grilled cheese — the sky’s the limit.

Ingredients
1 cup of fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Method

  • Wash and dry the basil.
  • Place basil and oil in a blender and process until smooth. I use an immersion blender, but a regular one will do just fine.
  • Salt and pepper to taste.
  • Pour into a squeeze bottle, if you want to make fancy swirls. Store in the fridge; bring to room temperature before using. Keeps for a week.

Peach Gazpacho

I’m a big soup eater. I could eat it for lunch every day. It’s frugal, nutritious and the variations are endless. Of course, as the mercury rises, a steamy hot bowl of soup isn’t exactly what I want. Neither is heating up my kitchen with a bubbly pot of stew.

Cold soups to the rescue!

Gazpacho is probably the most ubiquitous cold soup. It is traditionally made with tomato, cucumber, bell pepper, garlic and stale bread. Yes, stale bread. It helps thicken the soup. It is often omitted in favor of a pure, summer vegetable based soup.

I adore a good bowl of gazpacho. As soon as I get my hands on farm-fresh tomatoes, I whip up a giant batch. While I’m enthusiastic about the first few bowls, by the fourth or fifth, I’m ready for something new.

Two things I am planning to do this summer. One, I’m scaling back on making such a giant batch of tomato gazpacho. There is no need to overdo a good thing. Two, I’m branching out to try other cold soups.

Peach Gazpacho

This tasty soup is a nice change from my usual tomato gazpacho. It is bright, healthy and delicious. Add a handful of tortilla chips for the perfect summer lunch.

I try to search out organic peaches. Pesticides easily migrate into the fruit through the soft skin of the peach. When I can’t find local, organic peaches, I buy local non-organic peaches. I prefer them to rock-hard organic peaches shipped from California. They just taste better. Ask your farmer about his/her pesticide practices. Since local peaches don’t have to travel far, farmers can often get by with using less pesticides.

Ingredients

8 peaches
1 medium-large cucumber, unpeeled, seeded if necessary
1/4 cup onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 cup fresh lemon or lime juice
Salt and pepper to taste

Garnish: Chopped tomatoes, avocado and fresh cilantro

Method

  • Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Make an X with a knife on the bottom of each peach.
  • Drop the peaches into the boiling water for a few minutes. Remove and cool in iced water. The peels should easily slip off. If not, use a knife to peel them.
  • Add the peaches and cucumber to a food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped. Transfer to a large bowl. Be sure to include the liquid.
  • Add onion, garlic, lemon or lime juice and mix well. Season with salt and pepper.
  • Refrigerate for at least one hour before serving.
  • Garnish with fresh chopped tomatoes, chopped or sliced avocado and chopped fresh cilantro.

Serves four.