Cream of tomato soup by Heston Blumenthal

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Cream of tomato soup by Heston Blumenthal

 

Serves 4

Preparation time less than 30 mins

Cooking time 10 to 30 mins

It is imperative that you get the best-quality, ripest tomatoes possible. Don't

bother making this if all you can buy is pale, unripe, out-of-season tomatoes.

Ingredients

2kg/4lb 8oz vine tomatoes

100g/3½oz unsalted butter

extra virgin olive oil

½ onion, finely chopped

4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

2 tsp tomato ketchup

1 stick of celery, cut in large pieces

bunch of fresh thyme

500ml/17fl oz whole milk (you may not need this)

225ml/8fl oz double cream

salt and freshly ground black pepper

 

 

Method

1. Cut the tomatoes in half and scoop out the seeds. Put the pulp into a sieve

set over a bowl to collect the juices. Chop the flesh.

2. Heat half the butter and a little olive oil in a casserole and, on a medium

heat, sweat the onion and garlic for 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes and their

juices, ketchup, celery and thyme, bring to the boil, and simmer until reduced

by two thirds.

3. Remove the pieces of celery and the thyme and pass the contents of the pan

twice through a fine-meshed sieve, rubbing it through with the back of a spoon

into a bowl. It is important that you force nearly all of the pulp through,

otherwise you will lose a lot of the flavour and will be left with a bowl of

insipid liquid.

4. Measure the liquid; you should be left with approximately 500ml/17fl oz. If,

for some reason, you have less than this, top it up to 500ml/17fl oz with half

water and half milk. If you have more than required, return it to the casserole

and reduce as necessary.

5. To serve the soup, simmer gently with the cream for 4-5 minutes, then whisk

in the remaining butter and thin down with a little more milk if necessary.

Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.