WetLeather Recipe Database - food for bikers

Name:	Black Tie Tomato Soup	Contributor:	Kathy E Gill
Description:	Black Tie Tomato Soup	Posted:	2003-04-12
Key words:	tomato, soup	Category:	Soups
ID:	453	Updated:	2005-11-27 22:06:20
Ingredients:	1 Tbsp unflavored gelatin 5 lbs tomatoes (because that's a Costco flat) 2 Tbsp (heaping) brown sugar 2 tsp salt 1 tsp pepper 4-6 cloves garlic, minced, divided 2 bay leaves 6-8 slices bacon 10 Tbsp unsalted butter 1/2 tsp dried thyme 2 tsp dried basil 1 small white onion, chopped fine 1/2 c vodka (or gin - that was the original recipe) chopped parsley 1 c heavy cream, whipped
Preparation:	1) Mix gelatin in 1/4 c cold water; let stand until softened. Place over low heat, stir 3 minutes, set aside. 2) Peel and seed the tomatoes; puree in blender till smooth. [Note: reserve a couple tomatoes and chop if you want the soup to have "texture".] 3) Put pureed and chopped tomato mixture in heavy saucepan. Add sugar, salt, pepper and half minced garlic. Blend in gelatin. Add bay leaves. Place on low heat. 3) Fry bacon until crisp, drain well, crumble. 4) In small bowl, whip butter; add bacon, remaining garlic, thyme, basil; blend thoroughly. 5) Place bacon mixture in large frying pan and melt over medium heat. Add onions; saute lightly. Warm vodka in a small pan, add to bacon-onion mixture, and ignite. 6) Increase heat of tomato mixture; add bacon/onion mixture, stirring until blended. Simmer gently 20 minutes. Remove bay leaves. 7) Garnish with parsley, whipped cream. Serves 4-6
Notes:	I've made this twice -- this is "double" the recipe from both cookbooks, and I cannot imagine half this serving four, although that's what is in the cookbooks. Four teeny cups. :) The second time, I doubled this recipe and wasn't quite as focused on removing every seed; of course, it didn't taste the same as the first time, for a variety of reasons. [The doubling was because our neighbors Don and Peg really liked it and asked for more. Actually, Don asked for 5 gallons!] The first time I had a bit too much garlic (I thought); this time too little (first time was fresh minced; second time "minced in the jar" - so I added a little fresh minced). YGMV. RE Bacon - amount needed depends on the size of the slices and how much bacon you want in the soup.
Equipment: