Grilled Fresh Tomato Basil Soup Recipe

Grilling Deepens the Flavor of Fresh Tomatoes and Adds a Smoky Tang

© Larry Ervin

Jul 21, 2009

From the garden, farmer’s market or supermarket, choose tomatoes that have ripened on the vine. Vine-ripening allows a tomato’s natural sugars to develop, gives it a more intense flavor and a deep red color. Vine-ripened tomatoes are rich in vitamins C and E. The red pigment in tomatoes is high in Lycopene which is a powerful anti-oxidant that can help prevent cancer.

Wondering what to do with a bumper crop of tomatoes ripening in the garden? Growing basil too? This recipe is great for home gardeners to preserve their bounty. Freeze one- or two-serving portions of soup. They will keep until the crop of seed catalogs sprout in January mailboxes everywhere. Oven-drying is another technique. Go here for instructions on drying and preserving tomatoes.

Grilled Fresh Tomato Basil Soup

Ingredients:

• 12 medium vine-ripened tomatoes
• 1 medium yellow onion, peeled and quartered
• 1 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium head garlic, roasted (see “How to Roast Garlic”, below)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 cup packed sweet basil leaves, torn or coarsely chopped (reserve a few perfect leaves for garnish)
• 1 cup tomato juice
• 1 tablespoon oregano leaves (optional)
• Pinch of dried chili flakes, or to taste
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• Pinch of sugar
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• Crumbled goat cheese for garnish (optional)

Method:

1. Heat the grill. If the garlic is not already roasted, wrap it in foil and add it to the grill while it is coming up to temperature. (See “How to Roast Garlic”)
2. When the grill is got, brush the tomatoes and onion wedges with a little of the olive oil and grill for 15-20 minutes until the tomato skin scorches and starts to peel. Remove to a plate and let them cool enough so you can handle them.
3. Peel and roughly chop the tomatoes, saving the juices and discarding the peel. Remove the charred outer layer of onion and chop coarsely chop the rest.
4. Heat another tablespoon of olive oil in a large saucepan or soup kettle. Add the tomatoes and their juice, onions, basil and the roasted garlic paste. Purée with a hand-held immersion blender. (Alternatively, you may purée in a blender or food processor before adding to the saucepan.)
5. Add the tomato juice and seasonings. Simmer for about 15 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary.
6. Add the cream and the last layer of olive oil
7. Simmer for about 15 minutes. Season to taste.
8. Pour into serving bowls. Garnish with a few small basil leaves, a scatter of crumbled goat cheese (if using) and a splash of extra-virgin olive oil.

(Serves 4-6)

How to Roast Garlic

These steps are for a whole head of garlic, which is recommended even though a given recipe may call for less. Tightly wrapped in the refrigerator, the leftovers will keep until your next bruschetta appears.

1. Preheat oven to 400°. (Or if grilling, use the heat there. No reason to hot up the kitchen.)
2. Remove the outer papery covering of the garlic head.
3. With a sharp knife, cut off the top ¼ to ½ inch of the exposed cloves.
4. Wrap the head in foil and roast until the head feels soft when squeezed, 30-35 minutes.
5. Cool until you can handle it without screaming (except in ecstasy). Separate the cloves and, one by one, squeeze the unctuous paste from enough cloves for your recipe.

Variations:

• Lighter Version? Substitute chicken or vegetable broth for the cream.
• More Garlicky? For a more pungent taste, use fresh minced garlic instead of roast garlic.
• Tomatoes can also be charred under a broiler for this recipe, -or-
• Easy Tomato Basil Soup: Use good quality canned tomatoes.

See also a great recipe for Fresh Tomato Napoleons.

Vine-Ripened Tomato

Head of Garlic

Yellow Onion

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