Consomme de tomates / Tomato Consomme

[bleudauvergne]

Consomme de tomates / Tomato Consomme

Serves 4 as Appetizer.

Light dinner fare, this can be served cold or hot. It is translated and adapted from a Montignac recipe. An immersion blender is useful in preparing this dish. The dish can serve many more if put in small bowls as a very first course or amuse-gueule.

• 1 T olive oil
  
• 1 kg tomatoes
  
• 3 crushed cloves of garlic
  
• 2 shallots, minced
  
• 2 branches of basil or flowering thyme
  
• 1/2 tsp oregano (dried)
  
• salt, freshly ground pepper
  

Saute the garlic and shallot in the olive oil over low heat until it turns clear, keeping the flame low enough to keep it from caramelizing.

Dip the tomatoes in boiling water long enough to loosten their skins, run them under cold water, peel, and seed them. Cut the pulp into pieces and add to the shallots and garlic.

Wash and remove the leaves and flowers from the basil or the thyme. mince the stems and add to the tomato mixture (keeping the minced stems in a tea ball if you use thyme), along with the oregano.

Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, cover, and simmer 10 minutes.

Remove the thyme stems (if used), and use a blender to mix to a fine veloute.

Bring to the temperature you wish to serve the soup, and season to taste. Add the minced leaves of the basil or thyme just before serving.

( RG1286 )