Heirloom Tomato Bisque

Heirloom Tomato Bisque
Serves 4-6


At the end of the Midwest summer, all the tomatoes get picked and put to work before the first frost. This recipe is sometimes where they end up, whether it’s the Pink Ping Pong’s, Black Zebra’s, Box Car Willie’s or a newly named variety called the Julia Child. (Didn’t you always want to have a tomato named after you? She has a rose, too, by the way that’s yellow) I’m thinking you could serve this hot or cold in demi tasse cups topped with a little dollop of pesto-scented sour cream to swirl in by your guests, or some tiny crunchy croutons.
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
3 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced
2 pounds ripe heirloom tomatoes, halved, seeded and chopped
8 fresh basil leaves
1 sprig fresh thyme
2 cups or 16 ounces organic tomato juice
1 cup chicken stock
Salt and pepper to taste
In a large pot, heat the oil over medium heat and sauté the onions, stirring occasionally till translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté another minutes. Add the tomatoes, basil and thyme and cook for about 10 minutes to soften the tomatoes and start to bring out some of their juices. Add the tomato juice and chicken stock and cook 30-40 more minutes to thicken. Remove the thyme sprig and season to taste with salt and pepper.
Let cool slightly and then purée in batches in a blender or food processor. If you want the soup even smoother, strain it through a strainer, pushing with the back of a spoon to remove all the liquid. Taste again for seasoning and then stir in the cream. Can be made a day ahead of time.