As tomato season approaches, operators share a bumper crop of bright ideas for fresh, summery soups.
This article first appeared in the 1 June 2009 issue of Restaurants & Institutions (R&I).
R&I is the USA's leading source of food and business-trend information and exclusive research on operators and restaurant patrons. Editorial coverage spans the entire foodservice industry, including chains, independent restaurants, hotels and institutions. Visit the R&I website to find out more about the magazine or to search its recipe database.
By Allison Perlik, Senior Editor
Cream of Tomato in Puff Pastry (pictured above)
Bistro Jeanty, Yountville, Calif. At his namesake wine-country restaurant, Chef Philippe Jeanty crowns dainty cups of creamy soup in flaky puff pastry and bakes them golden-brown. The simple recipe calls for fresh tomatoes with onion, garlic, bay leaves, thyme, black peppercorns and a touch of tomato paste, plus a generous dose of heavy cream.
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Golden Tomato Gazpacho
Bokx 109, Newton, Mass. Orange juice, hot sauce, aged sherry vinegar and cumin complement yellow tomatoes’ sweetness in Chef Evan Percoco’s zesty recipe. Steamed chunks of Maine lobster, a cheese-filled pupusa (a Salvadoran masa cake) and lime-juice-spiked slaw garnish the bowl ringed with grape tomatoes and pico de gallo.
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Salmorejo
Taberna del Alabardero, Washington, D.C. This cold Spanish soup is distinguished from gazpacho by its thicker texture and topping of Serrano ham and hard-boiled egg. Chef Dani Arana mixes chopped tomatoes with stale bread, olive oil and garlic and refrigerates the mixture overnight before puréeing it and finishing it with olive oil and sherry vinegar.
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Tomato-Eggplant Soup
San Francisco Soup Co., multiple locations. This velvety version gains earthiness and depth of flavor from tomatoes and eggplant that are roasted before being puréed with onion, garlic, olive oil and fresh thyme. Parmesan-focaccia croutons contribute and acidity.