The Dahlhouse Recipes

Summer Tomato Soup with Basil Cream

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 large shallots or 1 medium onion, peeled and thinly sliced
2 1/2 teaspoons salt, or to taste
3 pounds juicy, ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded and coarsely chopped
1 pint rich chicken stock
1 pint milk
White pepper to taste
1/2 cup heavy cream, chilled
1/2 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves, finely chopped
Small basil leaves, for garnish

Directions:

1. In a heavy, medium-size saucepan, melt the butter just until it foams. Add the shallots or onion and saute over medium heat just until wilted and very lightly colored, about seven to eight minutes.

2. Stir in two teaspoons of the salt and the tomatoes, cover tightly and cook slowly for about 12 minutes until the tomatoes are soft.

3. Transfer the mixture to the bowl of a food procesor fitted with a steel chopping blade and puree until smooth. Or pass the mixture through a food mill. Return the puree to the saucepan, stir in the chicken stock and milk, season with white pepper and heat gently for a few minutes.

4. In a chilled bowl, beat the heavy cream just until it forms soft peaks. Stir in the remaining salt and the basil. Ladle the soup into bowls, add a good size dallop of the basil cream in the middle of each bowl and place a couple of basil leaves in the center. To make a decoartive design, swirl the cream outwards in a circular or starburst pattern, using the tip of a knife or spoon handle.

Yield: 6 servings

from The New York Times

To enrich a canned or weak chicken stock, to three cups of stock add one medium celery stalk, chopped; half of a smal onion, chopped; one small carrot, scraped and chopped' a couple of sprigs of parsley, and a couple of black peppercorns. Bring the liquid to a boil, then lower the heat and boil gently until the liquid has reduced to two cups. Strain

Posted by dahl at September 8, 2003 07:44 PM