Philippe Bertineau's Chilled Heirloom Tomato Soup
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 large leek, white part only, split, rinsed well, coarsely chopped
- 1 stalk celery, coarsely chopped
- 1 small bulb fennel, coarsely chopped
- 1 medium red bell pepper, stemmed, ribs removed, seeded and coarsely chopped
- 1/2 medium Spanish onion, coarsely chopped
- 1/2 bulb garlic, unpeeled, cut crosswise in half and crushed gently
- 1 sprig thyme, 1 sprig rosemary, 1/4 bunch parsley, 3 sprigs basil, 3/4-inch-diameter bundle of dry fennel sticks, all tied together with kitchen string
- 3/4-inch-diameter of dry fennel sticks, all tied together with kitchen string
- 1 tablespoon anise seeds, 1 tablespoon fennel seeds, 1 teaspoon coriander seeds, all placed on a thick square of cheesecloth, gathered into a bundle and tied with kitchen string
- 15 large, ripe Carmello or beefsteak tomatoes, each cut into 8 pieces
- Salt and freshly ground white pepper to taste
- Tabasco sauce to taste
- Celery salt to taste
- 6 ounces guacamole
- Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat, add the vegetables (but not the tomatoes).
- Cover and sweat for 10 minutes, until soft but not brown.
- Add the bouquets garnis and tomatoes to 3 cups water.
- Bring to a boil and cook for 15 minutes, until the tomatoes are softened but not overcooked, then season with salt and pepper.
- Transfer the mixture to a large heatproof bowl and cool in a container of ice and water.
- (This will allow the tomatoes to retain their color.)
- Remove the bouquets garnis and, in batches, puree the mixture in a blender.
- Pass through a food mill into a large bowl and season to taste with salt, white pepper, Tabasco and celery salt.
- Refrigerate until cold (but not freezing) to taste the full flavor of the tomatoes.
- Ladle the cold tomato soup into soup bowls and place a spoonful of the guacamole in the center and then garnish with a basil flower.
extravirgin olive oil, only, celery, bulb fennel, red bell pepper, spanish onion, garlic, thyme, diameter, anise seeds, tomatoes, salt, tabasco sauce, celery salt, guacamole
Taken from cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/6531 (may not work)