I haven’t posted a recipe for a chilled soup before, but I do have several that I really do love preparing, and now that the sun has begun to warm me up, I have decided it is time to pull them out of the recipe file. Here is a real favourite and is a take on gazpacho, with crisp jamon or prosciutto and sour cream. The roasted tomato gives a real depth of flavour. The basil and oregano are wonderful herbs here and this soup is just so light, fresh and Mediterranean. This recipe with serve 4-6.
Chilled tomato herb soup
8 vine-ripened tomatoes
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
60ml olive oil, plus extra to drizzle
1/2 bunch basil, leaves picked
180g sourdough bread, crusts removed, torn
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 small red onion, quartered
1 red capsicum, chopped
1 long red chilli, seeds removed, chopped
2 tablespoons oregano leaves, plus extra to serve
6 thin slices jamon or prosciutto
1/2 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons milk
Preheat the oven to 140C. Line a baking tray with baking paper.
Place tomato, cut-side up, on the tray, sprinkle with garlic, then season and drizzle with oil. Scatter over half the basil, then roast for 2 hours or until the tomato starts to collapse. Cool for 10 minutes, then discard basil.
Place bread in a bowl with the vinegar and 2 tablespoons of water, and toss to coat. Set aside for 10 minutes or until the liquid is absorbed. then transfer to a blender with the onion, capsicum, chilli, oregano, cooled tomato and remaining basil leaves, and whiz until smooth. Add 325ml cold water and whiz to combine. Season, transfer to a jug and chill completely.
Meanwhile, increase the oven to 180C. Line a baking tray with baking paper and place jamon or prosciutto on the tray, then roast in the oven for 10-12 minutes until crisp.
Combine the sour cream and milk. Ladle chilled tomato soup into bowls, drizzle with sour cream mixture and a little extra oil, then top each with one or two crisp slices of the jamon or prosciutto, and a little extra oregano.
