Each summer, Johannes Sailer—chef at Les Abeilles in the Provencal village of Sablet—creates an all-tomato menu. One year he opened the meal with this stunning soup: all red, all fresh, all full of honest tomato flavor. This liquid blend of tomatoes, seasoning, top-quality olive oil, and vinegar makes you fee as though you are drinking your salad!
Ingredients
1-1/2 pounds ripe heirloom tomatoes, cored and quartered (do not peel)
1/2 cup tomato paste
1 tablespoon celery salt
1 teaspoon ground piment d'Espelette or dried Anaheim chili (or ground mild chili pepper)
2 tablespoons best-quality sherry-wine vinegar
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
20 fresh basil leaves
Instructions
Combine all the ingredients with 1-2/3 cups water in a food processor or a blender and purée to a smooth liquid. Taste for seasoning. The soup can be served immediately, but the flavors will benefit from ripening for 3 to 24 hours, refrigerated. At serving time, reblend the soup. Serve in chilled soup bowls.
Excerpted from Vegetable Harvest: Vegetables at the Center of the Plate by Patricia Wells (William Morrow, An Imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, 2007). Copyright 2007 by Patricia Wells.
Each week, The Splendid Table brings you stories that expand your world view, inspire you to try something new and show how food brings us together. We rely on you to do this. And, when you donate, you'll become a member of The Splendid Table Co-op. It's a community of like-minded individuals who love good food, good conversation and kitchen companionship. Splendid Table Co-op members will get exclusive content each month and have special opportunities for connecting with The Splendid Table team.
Donate today for as little as $5.00 a month. Your gift only takes a few minutes and has a lasting impact on The Splendid Table and you'll be welcomed into The Splendid Table Co-op.