The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
TURN SUMMER’S TOMATOES INTO A CREAMY SOUP
This soup is so delicious you’ll find it’s far more than the sum of its parts. The secret is in those charred tomatoes.
Charring vegetables is one way Woody Back, executive chef of Roswell’s Table & Main, likes to add flavor to his dishes. When he’s cooking, he’s looking for six components – fat, acid, salt, aromatic, sweet and bitter. The charring provides the bitter in this soup. He demonstrated these recipes at the Morningside Farmers Market last year.
3 pounds tomatoes, cored
1 yellow onion, diced
1 red pepper, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups vegetable stock
1 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Salt and pepper
Field Pea Chow Chow, for garnish (see
recipe)
Goat cheese or croutons, for garnish Preheat a cast iron skillet over high heat.
Cut tomatoes in half. Arrange them cut side down in heated skillet. If needed, cook the tomatoes in batches. Cook until they have charred black and then turn the tomatoes. Cook about 2 minutes longer then remove from heat. Allow to cool until you can handle them and then pull off the skins. Continue until all tomatoes are cooked. Be sure to scrape any charred bits into your soup.
While tomatoes are charring, in a large saucepan, cook the onion and red pepper over medium-high heat until they have released their liquid. Add garlic and cook 2 minutes more. Add the tomatoes, any charred bits from the skillet and vegetable stock and simmer 15 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. Using an immersion blender, puree soup. Add cream and butter and puree again. Season to taste. Serve right away or refrigerate for up to 3 days. Garnish with goat cheese or croutons and top with a scoop of Field Pea Chow Chow. Makes: 6 cups
Per 1/2-cup serving: 142 calories (percent of calories from fat, 62), 3 grams protein, 11 grams carbohydrates, 2 grams fiber, 10 grams fat (6 grams saturated), 33 milligrams cholesterol, 300 milligrams sodium.
FIELD PEA CHOW CHOW
1 pound field peas
3 cups vegetable stock
1 carrot, diced
1 rib celery, diced
1 small yellow onion, diced
1 large yellow onion, minced
1 red bell pepper, minced
1 green tomato, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 cup apple cider vinegar
1 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon prepared yellow mustard 1 teaspoon celery seed
1 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
In a large saucepan, cover field peas with vegetable stock and add diced carrot, celery and onion. Cook until peas are tender. I
na large bowl, toss minced onion, bell pepper, green tomato and garlic together. When peas are tender, drain and add to the onion-bell pepper mixture. Transfer mixture to canning jars.
In a large saucepan, combine vinegar, sugar, mustard, celery seed, turmeric, and red pepper flakes. Bring to a boil, then pour over field pea mixture. Cover jars and allow to cool. Refrigerate and use within one month. Makes: 3 1/2 cups
Per tablespoon: 34 calories (percent of calories from fat, 7), 1 gram protein, 7 grams carbohydrates, 1 gram fiber, trace fat (no saturated fat), no cholesterol, 96 milligrams sodium.