Chilled Heirloom Tomato Soup with Cucumber Salsa and Toasted Peanuts
Cucumber Salsa:
- 1 large cucumber, peeled, seeded, and diced
- 1 ⁄2 cup diced red onion
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons minced fresh basil
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (from 1 lemon)
- 1 ⁄4 teaspoon coarse sea salt
- 1 ⁄2 teaspoon paprika
- 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 31 ⁄2 pounds heirloom tomatoes (preferably a single variety), cut into 1-inch slices
- 2 teaspoons coarse sea salt
- 1 ⁄2 cup toasted peanuts, for garnish
Instructions:
The cool thing about this soup is that there are endless flavor possibilities depending on what variety of tomato you use. Remix this soup by using different varieties every time you make it and enjoy it chilled or at room temperature.
For the salsa:
- In a medium-size bowl, combine all the ingredients and stir well. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, toss the tomatoes with 2 teaspoons of salt to enhance their flavor and help release their juices. Cover and set aside for 30 minutes.
- Add the tomatoes to an upright blender and puree until creamy. Strain the liquid into a large bowl, discarding the solids.
- To serve, ladle the soup into bowls and, with a slotted spoon, transfer a heaping tablespoon of cucumber salsa to each bowl. Finish off with a heaping tablespoon of toasted peanuts for garnish.