Recipes

Cold tomato soup for 8

4 cucumbers
3 red peppers
2 medium white or yellow onions
2 cloves garlic
2 1/2 pounds best quality canned peeled, chopped tomatoes
1 tbsp white vinegar
4 tbsps extra virgin olive oil
1-3 dashes Tabasco or other hot pepper sauce
salt
pepper
croutons and chopped chive for garnish

Peel and dice cucumbers and onions, dice peppers, peel and chop fine the garlic. Combine all of the ingredients except the salt, pepper, and Tabasco, reserving garnish, in a bowl and mix thoroughly. . Put the mixture into a blender or Cuisinart, blending until thick and smooth. Force the puree through a chinois, fine sieve, or put it through a food mill so that the seeds and skins are removed. Salt, pepper, and hot sauce to taste, this last in moderation more to highlight the fresh vegetable flavors rather than to give it any heat. Refrigerate and serve cool, garnished with homemade croutons and chives. Will keep up to a week, but do not freeze. This soup has the best color and consistency with canned rather than fresh tomatoes because fresh tomatoes contain more water.

Posted by Michael at July 28, 2005