Spicy Chilled Tomato, Corn and Herb Soup
This soup is sister to a gazpacho, cousin to a salsa fresca, and perhaps a great-aunt to a bruschetta topping.
The Li’l Sis invented it one sultry July day when she was craving a cool tomato gazpacho but wanted something with a bit more zip. She ravaged our fire escape garden and tossed in handfuls of herbs and three tiny red chili peppers. What these peppers lacked in size they well made up for in heat. Even the tough-tongued Li’l Sis had to admit we probably used one pepper too many.
This soup is the perfect way to put the bounty of luscious August tomatoes to good, fresh, tasty use. And you might as well pick up a nice loaf of crusty bread too; it’s all you’ll need to enjoy this simple main course soup.
Time: 1 hour
Serves: 6
Spicy Chilled Tomato, Corn and Herb Soup
18 large tomatoes, stem end cored out
3 cobs of corn, cooked and kernels cut off
1 can small white beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 cup chopped basil
1/3 cup chopped mint
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 - 2 jalapenos, minced (with or without seeds according to your preference)
juice of 1 lemon
3 Tbsp avocado or olive oil
2 tsp salt
freshly ground pepper to taste
3 avocados, diced
Dice 8 tomatoes, including the skins. Using the large holes of cheese grater, grate the other 10 tomatoes into a large bowl, getting all the pulp away from the skins. Discard skins, squeezing any remaining tomato juice into the bowl.
Add the cooked corn kernels, white beans, cilantro, basil, mint, garlic, jalapeno, lemon, oil, salt and pepper.
At this point you can chill the soup for two or more hours if you’d like it cold. It’s also wonderful room temperature.
Before serving, scatter the diced avocados on top.
Serve with crusty bread & olive oil.
August 8th, 2007 19:27
That’s real nice and all, but unless there’s zuchinni we all know it isn’t really a summertime recipe.
;p
August 11th, 2007 10:41
That soup looks SO good. I can’t believe I’ve let so much of this summer go by without making or eating anything like that!
August 11th, 2007 23:09
Yum! What a pretty soup and I love the flavours!
August 12th, 2007 01:44
Vanessa,
This soup looks positively scrumptious. Perfect for a hot August day.
Karina
August 13th, 2007 10:52
Queenie - You’re right, as usual.
Bazu - it’s a lot of chopping but totally worth it. I highly recommend adding the jalapeno and avocado.
Thanks Catherine! Being in Cali, do you guys get avos at the farmers market? is that a naive question?!
Thanks for stopping by Karina - hope you’re well!
August 15th, 2007 14:19
This looks and sounds so nice! I’ll be making this next week.
August 24th, 2007 15:52
Vanessa, this soup is a keeper. Thanks for sharing the recipe!
August 28th, 2007 18:46
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December 11th, 2007 04:07
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