Summer Tomato And Basil Soup Recipes

SUMMER TOMATO SOUP WITH BASIL AND CROUTONS

Steps:

• Mix the tomatoes, cucumber, red pepper, onion, garlic, and bread crumbs in a medium glass bowl. Add the vinegar, stock, thyme, and 12 of the basil leaves. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and marinate 12 hours in the refrigerator.
• Puree the mixture, and season to taste with salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper. If too acidic (and this will depend on the tomatoes you've used), add a little honey.
• Serve cold with the remaining basil leaves shredded and scattered over top along with some croutons, if using.

SUMMER YOGURT SOUP WITH TOMATO AND BASIL

Steps:

• Heat oil over medium-high flame and saute garlic and onion until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer about 5 minutes. Let cool to room temperature and puree in blender or food processor for 30 seconds.
• Add basil, salt and pepper and blend for another 30 seconds. Add yogurt and pulse to mix. Keep chilled until ready to serve. When serving, add a couple of tablespoons of diced tomato on top of each bowl of soup. Season tomato with salt and serve.

SUMMER TOMATO AND BASIL SOUP WITH FARRO

Steps:

• Cook farro in a rice cooker according to manufacturer's instructions for brown rice, about 30 minutes.
• Clean the cooker, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and set to "cook." Add onion and a pinch of salt, then close lid. Stir every 5 minutes or so, until onions begin to brown, about 20 minutes. If cooker clicks to "warm," reset it to "cook."
• Add garlic and cook 3 to 4 minutes. Add tomatoes with their juice, basil and a teaspoon of salt. Stir, close lid and cook 30 minutes.
• Add farro and thin with broth until soupy. Close lid and simmer another 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Serve with a generous drizzle of olive oil and, if desired, cheese.

PROVENçAL TOMATO AND BASIL SOUP

Steps:

• Heat the oil over medium heat in a large, heavy soup pot or Dutch oven. Add the onion. Cook, stirring often, until tender, about five minutes. Stir in half the garlic and a generous pinch of salt. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds to a minute. Add the tomatoes, sugar, basil sprigs or leaves and remaining garlic. Cook, stirring often, until the tomatoes have cooked down and smell fragrant, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Add the water, Parmesan rind and salt to taste. Bring to a simmer, cover and reduce the heat to low. Simmer 15 minutes. Add the tapioca or rice, and simmer for another 15 minutes until the tapioca is tender and the soup fragrant. Remove the basil sprigs and Parmesan rind. Puree in a blender in small batches, taking care to place a towel over the top of the blender and hold it down tightly. If you used fresh unpeeled tomatoes and want a silkier soup, put through a strainer, using a spatula or the back of a ladle to push the soup through. Return to the pot, add pepper to taste and adjust salt. Serve garnished with garlic croutons and/or Parmesan, if desired, and slivered basil leaves. If serving cold, refrigerate until chilled.

SUMMER TOMATO SOUP WITH BASIL CREAM

Steps:

• 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.
• Stir in two teaspoons of the salt and the tomatoes, cover tightly and cook slowly for about 12 minutes until the tomatoes are soft.
• Transfer the mixture to the bowl of a food processor 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.
• 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 dollop of the basil cream in the middle of each bowl and place a couple of basil leaves in the center. To make a decorative design, swirl the cream outwards in a circular or sunburst pattern, using the tip of a knife or spoon handle.