Heirloom tomato basil soup with grilled lemon thyme garlic shrimp
Shopping list
Tomato soup
3 lbs. Fresh ripe heirloom and / or vine ripened tomatoes
2 tbs extra virgin olive oil plus more for garnish
1 medium onion small chop
2 cloves of garlic minced
2 tsp kosher salt
fresh cracked pepper
1/2 cup heavy cream (optional)
1 cup tightly packed basil leaves. chopped save a few leaves per bowl for garnish
Lemon, thyme, garlic shrimp
1 lbs. fresh local shrimp (U8-10), shelled tails on (or off, whatever you want)
4 cloves of garlic minced
1 tbs of fresh thyme chopped
1 tsp chile flakes
juice of one lemon (make it a fat one)
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp fresh cracked black pepper
Toasty cheesy crunchy things
Loaf of crusty rustic bread, sliced for enough people you are serving
a wedge of sharp hard goats cheese, gruyere or other funky pungent melting cheese
Equipment
Stick blender or pitcher blender
grill pan or charcoal grill
bigger rather than smaller soup pot of some sort
fine mesh strainer
cheese grater
What to do
read through all directions first (namely the shrimp, you need to start marinating them)
Pre-heat broiler
Tomato soup
core the tomatoes and slice them in half along the equator
using a finger, pull all of the seeds and gel surrounding them out into a fine mesh strainer over a bowl
tap the side of the strainer until all of the gel falls through leaving the seeds
chop the tomatoes into inch or so chunks
heat the olive oil over medium heat
add the onion and sauté until translucent
add the garlic and cook until fragrant
add the tomatoes and cook until just starting to soften
add the “seed gel juice” and basil and cook for 3-4 minutes more
using a stick blender or transfer to a stand up blender purée until smooth and return to the pot
add cream to desired amount, season with salt and pepper and keep warm over very low heat
Grilled lemon, thyme, garlic shrimp
place the peeled shrimp in a bowl and add the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, thyme chile flakes, salt and pepper.
marinate while making the soup
preheat a grill pan to medium-high or a charcoal grill with low coal
once the soup is done and staying warm, grill the shrimp till just done with a slight char on each side
remove and hold
Toasty cheesy crunchy things
cut each slice in half diagonally
shred the cheese on the small shreddy holes of your box grater
place the half slices on a sheet pan and place under the broiler until just starting to toast
remove from the oven, flip them over, add a big mound of cheese to cover each slice
place back in oven and toast until cheese melted and bread is just turning brown
Serving
ladle soup into a short wide soup bowl
add grilled shrimp around the edge in bowl
garnish with basil leaves and a little extra virgin olive oil
plate with toasty cheesy crunchy things
enjoy
Original Recipe with photos here
http://porknwhiskey.com/2012/05/22/heirloom-tomato-basil-soup-grilled-lemon-thyme-shrimp/