Cold Tomato Bread Soup with Basil (Karen’s take on “Salmorejo”)

Ingredients

• 1 3/4 pounds vine ripened tomatoes (I've used 2" size)
• 2 cups sourdough bread, crusts removed, 1" dice
• 2 teaspoons garlic, peeled and sliced (from 1 medium- large clove)
• 1 teaspoon sea salt 
• 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil (divided)
• 1/2 cup shallots, peeled, small dice
• 1 - 2 teaspoons Spanish sherry vinegar 
• 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes (or a big pinch of cayenne pepper)
• 1/4 cups extra virgin olive oil
• Garnish: 4 teaspoons fresh basil, thinly sliced 
• 4 tablespoons colorful tomatoes, small dice
• 1 recipe Basil Oil (will have extra for another recipe)

Instructions

1. Wash and dry tomatoes. Cut them in quarters. Over the sink, grab a handful and squeeze to release their seeds... about half. Place the tomatoes in a large bowl. Repeat with all tomatoes.
2. Toast bread: Add to a 9" inch skillet, toss in 1 teaspoon of olive oil, stir and cook over low heat until dried out and just starting to color, about 5 minutes. Add toasted bread to bowl, add the garlic - sprinkle with 1 t. sea salt
3. Boil 4 cups of water, then add to the bowl. Let stand 20 minutes. In the meantime, sauté shallots in 1 teaspoon olive oil over low heat for 5 minutes until very soft, yet not colored.
4. Remove 1 cup of tomato water to a cup (will add later), then press out all of the remaining water from the tomato-bread mixture. Add contents of the bowl to a blender. I use a high speed Vitamix. Whirl from low to high speed for one minute.
5. Add remaining ingredients except olive oil: sautéed shallots, sherry vinegar and red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper. Add 1/2 cup of reserved tomato water.
6. Whirl from low to high for 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides the carafe. Add the remaining olive oil through the top slowly - on low speed. While one more minute at high speed. Taste the soup! Some like more vinegar. If seems thick, add more tomato water until desired consistency.
7. Remove the soup to a clean container and refrigerate until cold.
8. To Serve: Pour soup into individual bowls. Also lovely as an appetizer in shop glasses. Drizzle with Basil Oil. Top with chopped colorful tomatoes and thin sliced basil.
9. Basil Oil: Blanch 1 cup of fresh basil leaves (place in pot with boiling water, stir, then immediately add to a strainer, then a small bowl of ice water. When cold, dry very well. Add the basil leaves with 2/3 cups of extra virgin olive oil in a blender. Whirl from low to high for one minute. Scrape down the sides to the carafe, then whirl one more minute. Strain the oil through a very fine mesh strainer (Save the basil solids for another recipe.) Strain again through a few thicknesses of cheesecloth for a clear green basil oil.

This recipe may not be reproduced without the consent of its author, Karen Sheer.

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