Charred Tomato Soup Recipes

CHARRED TOMATO SOUP WITH CORIANDER AND CILANTRO

Steps:

• Prepare a charcoal grill or light the broiler. Remove cores from tomatoes and cut them in half horizontally. Season with salt and pepper on both sides and brush lightly with olive oil.
• Place tomatoes skin-side down on the grill and leave for about 10 minutes, until skins are blackened and tomatoes have softened slightly. (If using the broiler, place the tomatoes on a rimmed baking sheet skin-side up and broil for 10 minutes.) Transfer tomatoes to a large bowl.
• Add garlic, cayenne, coriander seeds, cilantro, 2 tablespoons olive oil and sherry vinegar. Stir all ingredients together. Let mixture sit for 10 minutes to allow flavors to marry.
• Purée tomato mixture with a blender or food processor. Strain through a medium mesh sieve, if desired. Thin with a little water if too thick. Taste and adjust seasoning. Chill well. (The soup will taste best if served within a few hours.)
• Put cherry tomatoes in a small bowl. Sprinkle with salt and toss with a tablespoon of olive oil.
• To serve, ladle the soup into chilled shallow bowls. Put a large spoonful of ricotta on top, and spoon cherry tomatoes over. Sprinkle with chives.

CHARRED TOMATO SOUP WITH MELTED MOZZARELLA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Heat a large cast iron skillet and add the canola oil. When the oil begins to smoke lightly, add the tomatoes in a single layer. Season with salt, to taste, and add the sugar. You want to blister the skin slightly, drawing out water from the tomatoes, to intensify their flavor. Add the vermouth. Continue cooking on low heat.
• In a soup pot, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and add the garlic, shallots, and red pepper flakes. Season with salt and pepper. Add the oregano and stir to blend. Allow to cook, over low heat, until the shallots and garlic become tender and translucent, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the canned tomatoes and the water. Turn the heat down to medium and cook until the tomato flesh starts to lose shape, 12 to 15 minutes. At this point, the soup should be mushy and blender-ready. If there are still some hard pieces, add a little more water and cook for a few additional minutes. Taste for seasoning.
• Put about half of the tomato soup in the blender and puree until smooth. Next, puree the roasted Roma tomatoes in the blender until smooth, adding the remaining olive oil through the top in a slow, steady stream. Taste for seasoning. Add both back to the remaining chunky soup. Taste for seasoning.
• On a flat surface, slice bread into 4 by 1/2-inch thick slices. Tear each piece into a freeform shape that sits nicely across the top of your soup bowls (the nice torn edges will get super crispy). Set on a sheet tray and toast in oven for 4 to 5 minutes until lightly golden and crispy.
• Ladle the soup into crocks or small oven-proof bowls. Top with 1 piece of toasted bread per bowl. Finish with some shredded mozzarella and broil until golden brown, about 2 minutes.

CANNED TOMATO SOUP

Steps:

• Place onions, celery, and tomatoes in a large pot; pour in enough water to just cover vegetables; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until tomatoes are tender, 20 to 30 minutes. Pour tomato mixture through a strainer or food mill, discard solids, and return liquid to the pot; stir sugar and salt into liquid.
• Blend butter and flour together in a blender until smooth and creamy; add tomato juice. Blend until smooth. Pour butter mixture into liquid in the pot. Cook and stir over medium heat just until tomato soup is hot.
• Sterilize the jars and lids in boiling water for at least 5 minutes. Pack the tomato soup into the hot, sterilized jars, filling the jars to within 1/4 inch of the top. Run a knife or a thin spatula around the insides of the jars after they have been filled to remove any air bubbles. Wipe the rims of the jars with a moist paper towel to remove any food residue. Top with lids, and screw on rings.
• Place a rack in the bottom of a large stockpot and fill halfway with water. Bring to a boil and lower jars into the boiling water using a holder. Leave a 2-inch space between the jars. Pour in more boiling water if necessary to bring the water level to at least 1 inch above the tops of the jars. Bring the water to a rolling boil, cover the pot, and process for 20 to 30 minutes.
• Remove the jars from the stockpot and place onto a cloth-covered or wood surface, several inches apart, until cool. Once cool, press the top of each lid with a finger, ensuring that the seal is tight (lid does not move up or down at all). Store in a cool, dark area, and wait at least 12 hours before opening.

CURRIED TOMATO SOUP

Steps:

• Place butter in a 2 1/2-quart souffle dish with a tightly fitting lid. Cook, uncovered, at 100 percent power in a high-power oven for 2 minutes. Stir in onion. Cook, uncovered, for 2 minutes.
• Stir in curry powder and paprika. Cook, uncovered, for 2 minutes.
• Remove from oven. Stir in tomato sauce. Whisk in chicken broth. Cook, covered, for 5 minutes.
• Remove from oven and uncover. Stir in lemon juice, salt and pepper. Ladle into bowls. Top each serving with 1 tablespoon yogurt, if desired.

CHARRED TOMATO SOUP

Steps:

• Heat a large cast iron skillet and add the canola oil. When the oil begins to smoke lightly, add the tomatoes in a single layer. Season with salt, to taste, and add the sugar. You want to blister the skin slightly, drawing out water from the tomatoes, to intensify their flavor. Continue cooking on low heat.
• In a soup pot, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and add the garlic, shallots, and red pepper flakes. Season with salt and pepper. Add the oregano and stir to blend. Allow to cook, over low heat, until the shallots and garlic become tender and translucent, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the canned tomatoes and the water. Turn the heat down to medium and cook until the tomato flesh starts to lose shape, 12 to 15 minutes. At this point, the soup should be mushy and blender-ready. If there are still some hard pieces, add a little more water and cook for a few additional minutes. Taste for seasoning.

CHARRED TOMATOES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 160C/gas 3/fan 140C. Put a griddle pan or heavy cast iron frying pan (not non-stick) over a high flame and leave it to heat.
• Cut the tomatoes in half around the equator. Brush the cut surfaces with 1 tbsp of oil and place cut side-down on the hot griddle. Cook undisturbed for 1 minute, then take the pan off the heat.
• Transfer the tomatoes, cut side-up, to a shallow baking dish. Brush cut surfaces with the vinegar, then with about 2 tbsp of oil. Place a sliver or two of garlic on each tomato, and sprinkle with the sugar.
• Bake for about 1 hour until the tomatoes are deep brown and sticky-looking. Cool a little, then finish with a sprinkling of balsamic vinegar, extra oil and a scattering of basil. Serve warm or at room temperature.

FIRE-CHARRED TOMATO SOUP

Steps:

• 1. If using a gas grill: Place the wood chips (if using) in the smoker box. Preheat the grill, gas or charcoal, to high.2. Cut the tomatoes crosswise into 1-inch-thick slices, cutting out the stem ends. Thread the onion wedges onto a long metal skewer. Brush the tomato slices, onion wedges, and peppers generously with oil, using half of it, and season with salt and pepper.3. When ready to cook, if using a charcoal grill, toss the wood chips (if using) on the coals. For both methods: Oil the grill grate. Arrange the tomatoes, onion skewer, and peppers on the hot grate and grill, turning the onion skewer and peppers with tongs and the tomato slices with a spatula, until the vegetables are nicely charred all over. The bell peppers will take the longest, 15 to 20 minutes, the tomatoes the shortest, about 8 minutes in all. As they are done, transfer to a platter to cool.4. Place the ancho chile on the grate and toast quickly, about 20 seconds per side, just until it becomes smoky and brittle. Take care not to let it burn.5. Using a paring knife, scrape the charred skin off the onions and peppers (don't worry about removing every last bit). Cut the onions into thin crosswise slices: stem and seed the peppers.6. Crumble the toasted chile into a small saucepan with 1 cup of the stock. Heat over medium heat until warm, then remove from the heat and let soak until soft, about 5 minutes.7. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and onion and cook until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, peppers, remaining 6 cups stock, 1 tablespoon vinegar, 1 tablespoon honey, the chile and its soaking liquid, and salt and pepper. Simmer the soup for 5 minutes. If it seems too thick, add a little more stock.8. Transfer the soup to a blender and process to a smooth purée, then return it to the saucepan, pressing it through a strainer if necessary to remove any remaining pieces of charred skin. Stir in 2 tablespoons of the herbs and salt and pepper to taste. If a sharper soup is desired, add a little more vinegar a sweeter soup, a little more honey.9. To serve, ladle the soup into bowls. Top each serving with a dollop of yogurt and sprinkle with the remaining herbs.Serves 8 as a first course

SMOKY TOMATO, CHIPOTLE & CHARRED CORN SOUP

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a casserole dish and fry the onion for 10 mins until beginning to soften. Add the garlic, ground coriander and coriander stalks, and cook for 1 min. Stir though the tomatoes, stock and chipotle and bring to a simmer. Cook, covered, over a low heat for 20 mins, stirring occasionally.
• Meanwhile, bring a pan of water to the boil and cook the corn for 4 mins. Drain and leave to cool a little. Cut the kernels off the cob with a sharp knife. Heat a non-stick frying pan over a high heat. Add the corn and fry for 5-7 mins or until charred, stirring now and again.
• Ladle the soup into bowls. Top with the feta, yogurt, charred corn and coriander leaves.