Episode 94: Cold Soups

Tomato Consomme
Gazpacho
Tomato and Melon Gazpacho with Matane Shrimp
Chilled Pea and Mint Soup with Cranberries and Port
Chilled Lemon Grass and Coriander Vichyssoise
Chilled Smoked Salmon Soup with Chive Oil
Cold Cucumber and Mint Soup

TOMATO CONSOMME
Preparation is easy

10 large ripe (overripe) tomatoes
kosher salt

Pulse the tomatoes in a food processor. Set in a fine sieve over a bowl. Line the sieve with a double layer of cheesecloth. Place a cupful of the puree in the sieve and sprinkle with salt. Repeat until all of the puree has been added.

Wrap the cheesecloth around all the tomatoes and squeeze. Leave to drip for 24 hours. Squeeze once again Discard the tomatoes in the cheesecloth.

Put the tomato juice into a pot and bring to a simmer. Do not allow to boil. Skim any solids off that rise to the surface. Put aside to cool. Once cool, pass the liquid through a sieve lined with cheesecloth.

Serve with diced tomato, freshly ground black pepper and frizzled shallots in the centre.

Yield: 4 servings
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GAZPACHO
Preparation is easy


1 cup red onions, chopped (6 ounces)
1 cup green bell pepper, chopped (6 ounces)
1 cup English cucumber, chopped (6 ounces)
1 cup tomatoes, peeled and chopped (6 ounces)
1 ½ teaspoons chopped garlic (12 millilitres)
1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt (12 millilitres)
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
¼ cup tomato paste (2 fluid ounces)
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar (15 millilitres)
¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (90 millilitres)
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice (15 millilitres)
3 cups tomato juice (750 millilitres)
Sprig of thyme


Preparation time is 30 minutes, resting overnight x 2

Mix all the ingredients together in a large mixing bowl. Blend all the ingredients in a food processor until smooth. For a less thick, smoother consistency, strain the soup. Refrigerate overnight.

Remove the sprig of Thyme before you serve.

Serve with fried leeks and some shredded cucumber in the middle.

Yield: 8 servings
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TOMATO AND MELON GAZPACHO WITH MATANE SHRIMP
Preparation is easy

1 cantaloupe melon
5 tablespoons olive oil
4 large tomatoes
12 fluid ounces of cold water (175 millilitres)
10 basil leaves
8 matane shrimp
Salt and pepper
Juice of one lemon

Preparation time is 20 minutes, plus time to chill

Remove the seeds from the melon and then remove the skin. Cut it into chunks.

Score the skins of the tomatoes and throw them into hot water for 30 seconds. Peel and then core and de-seed.

Put half the olive oil in a frying pan and heat. Add the melon and cook for a couple of minutes until it becomes juicy. Pour it into the bowl of a food processor.

Add the remainder of the olive oil and the tomatoes. Cook for a couple of minutes and add to the melon in the food processor. Add the cold water and the basil leaves and whiz until smooth. Chill.

Just before serving, toss some matane shrimp into a hot frying pan with a slick of oil. Fry until crisp. Taste the gazpacho and season with salt, pepper and lemon juice. Drop a couple of shrimp into each bowl and serve.

Yield: 4 servings
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CHILLED PEA AND MINT SOUP WITH LOBSTER
Preparation is easy

Kosher salt
5 to 6 pounds unshelled fresh peas (2 ¼ to 2 ¾ kilograms)
1 tablespoon peanut oil (15 millilitres)
2 shallots, peeled and minced
1 small leek, white part only, minced
3 cups heavy cream (750 millilitres)
3 tablespoons mint, roughly chopped (45 millilitres)
Freshly ground black pepper

Preparation time is 30 minutes

Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil. Shell the peas and add them to the water. Cook until tender, about 3 to 5 minutes. Refresh under cold water and set aside.

Heat the oil in a saucepan over a medium heat. Add the shallots and leek and cook, stirring occasionally, until they begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the peas and cook until they are soft but still bright green. Add the cream, a pinch of salt, pepper and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Allow to cool slightly for a few minutes. Stir in the chopped mint.

Transfer the soup in batches to a blender while it is still warm. Puree. Press the pea soup liquid through a fine strainer, then puree again if necessary.

Serve with chunks of cold, absolutely plain steamed lobster floating the middle with chopped mint, or alternatively with fried pieces of bacon and leeks. Parmesan crisp biscuits are good on the side.

Yield: 6 servings
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CHILLED LEMON GRASS AND CORIANDER VICHYSSOISE
Preparation is medium

2 onions, chopped
2 ounces butter (50 grams)
2 ounces fresh coriander leaves (50 grams)
10 ounces new potatoes, scraped and diced (275 grams)
1 ½ pints stock, see recipe below (850 millilitres)
5 fluid ounces milk (150 millilitres)
4 thick stems lemon grass
4 scallions, finely chopped
Salt and pepper
Thin lemon slices

Preparation time is 1 hour 30 minutes

Remove the coriander leaves from the stalks and set the stalks aside. With the lemon grass, trim the root and the tough top. Remove the outer leaves and chop the remaining lemon grass finely. Do the same with the scallions. Gather up all the trimmings from the lemon grass, scallions and the coriander stalks and put them into a large pot with 850 millilitres of water to simmer for 30 minutes to make a stock.

To make the soup, melt the butter and add the chopped onions, lemon grass and potatoes. Keep the heat low to allowed the vegetables to sweat gently. Keep them covered for about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, drain the stock that you have made before from the lemon grass, coriander and scallion cuttings and discard the debris. Add the stock to the onions and potatoes, then add the milk and the majority of the coriander leaves (keep some aside for decoration). Season and simmer for 25 minutes.

Pass the soup through a food processor and then strain it. Put aside to cool and then into the fridge to chill thoroughly. Serve with a cube of ice in the centre of each bowl and the remainder of the coriander leaves on top. You can even float a cleaned lemon grass stem in each bowl like a large stirrer.

Yield: 4 servings
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CHILLED SMOKED SALMON SOUP WITH CHIVE OIL
Preparation is medium

1 bunch of chives, washed and coarsely chopped
½ teaspoon white pepper (2 millilitres)
½ cup canola oil (90 millilitres)
6 tablespoons unsalted butter (90 millilitres)
6 shallots finely diced
3 garlic cloves, finely diced
½ pound smoked salmon, coarsely chopped (225 grams)
5 tablespoons flour (75 millilitres)
3 cups chicken stock (750 millilitres)
2 bay leaves
2 cups 35 % cream (500 millilitres)

Preparation time is 40 minutes, allow to sit overnight.

Puree the chives, white pepper and canola oil and set aside. You can make it a day in advance and keep it in the fridge if you like.

Melt the butter in a pot over a medium to high heat and add the shallots and garlic. Sauté for 3 minutes and add the smoked salmon. Stir well and sauté for 2 minutes.

Sprinkle the flour over the smoked salmon mix and stir well. Continue to sauté for a couple of minutes until the flour binds to the salmon mixture. Pour in the chicken stock while stirring and add the bay leaves. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer gently for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly.

Remove the bay leaves and puree the soup. Then strain the liquid through a fine sieve, using a spoon to scoop the solids around and push the trapped liquid through the sieve. Add the cream to the strained soup and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, or preferably overnight.

To serve, divide amongst bowls and drizzle chive oil in the centre. Add chopped chives to the top.

Yield: 6 servings.
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COLD CUCUMBER AND MINT SOUP
Preparation is easy

For the soup:
1 large English cucumber
10 fluid ounces 35% cream (300 millilitres)
5 fluid ounces natural yoghurt (150 millilitres)
1 clove garlic
2 tablespoons tarragon vinegar (30 millilitres)
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons fresh mint, chopped

For garnish:
1 tablespoon gherkin, finely chopped
2 tablespoons cucumber, finely chopped
2 tablespoons mint, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh cooked small shrimp

Preparation time is 20 minutes, leave overnight to sit

Wash and dry the cucumber. Peel in strips, leaving some of the skin on the cucm\umber for colour and crunch. Grate the cucumber coarsely. Stir in the cream, yoghurt and crush in the garlic clove. Add the salt and pepper and tarragon vinegar to taste. Stir in the mint.

Set the soup aside in the refrigerator overnight for the flavours to develop.

To serve: chop the gherkins, cucumber and fresh mint. If the shrimp are anything but small, chop them into pieces. Serve the cucumber soup with the garnish sprinkled in the bowl.

Yield: 4 servings
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Recipe compliments of Chef Ned Bell