Essence of tomatoes

Essence of tomatoes

Make Raymond Blanc's flavoursome tomato soup up to 1 day ahead, and keep chilled

Difficulty and servings

Easy

Serves 4

Preparation and cooking times

Total time

Ready in 40 - 50 mins

Super healthy

Method

  1. In a large bowl mix all the ingredients together with 1 tbsp sea salt, cover with cling film and marinate for 6 hrs. Then, in a food processor, pulse the tomato mix in batches until roughly chopped - don't over-chop them to a mush.
  2. Place three layers of muslin cloth, or a new kitchen cloth, over a large bowl and pour the mix into the cloth. Tie up with string and hang in a cold place for at least 15 mins over the bowl to collect the tomato essence. Set aside the pulp. Taste and correct the seasoning, if necessary, then cool in the fridge.
  3. To serve, spoon a quarter of the diced tomato into the centre of four bowls. Carefully pour the chilled tomato essence around the tomato towers and garnish with the basil and a small drizzling of olive oil.

Per serving

141 kcalories, protein 6g, carbohydrate 25g, fat 3 g, saturated fat 0g, fibre 7g, sugar 4g, salt 0.3 g

Recipe from Good Food magazine, June 2005.

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Latest comments and suggestions

  • 28 March 2008

    Deelight commented on this recipe

    How many tomatoes???????? It doesn't say!

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  • 01 April 2008

    patsyfk commented on this recipe

    Hi there Have just found this recipe on Royal Horticultural site - The rest of the ingredients appear the same - To 2.5 kg halved cherry tomatoes - So best to buy them on special offer Regards

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  • 07 March 2009

    LV20000 rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Great summer starter only problem is it and cost about £20 just for the tomatoes needed!

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  • Binder photo dj

    24 September 2010

    dj rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Gorgeous intense tomato flavour. Use the left over vegetable pulp in a pasta sauce.

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  • 10 January 2011

    AntonEgo commented on this recipe

    I was so happy to find this recipe, and scanned the basic instructions, particularly noting, 'Ready in 40 - 50 minutes'. Great...!! I went shopping after inviting guests for dinner that night, then came home to begin preparing. Ah.... marinate for 6 hours..... Something here does not compute. How can it be ready in 40 - 50 mimutes if a marinade takes 6 hours....?? Get real.............!!!!!

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  • 27 May 2012

    mci0709 rated and commented on this recipe

    4 stars

    Totally loved making this took me about an hour though just to cut up the tomatoes but well worth it. The flavour was very intense but if i make it again I would put less fennel maybe a quarter as could taste fennel more than tomato!!

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  • 20 March 2013

    GERRY3999 commented on this recipe

    can the essence be frozen?

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Difficulty and servings

Easy

Serves 4

Preparation and cooking times

Total time

Ready in 40 - 50 mins

Super healthy

Ingredients

  • 2½kg cherry vine-ripened tomatoes , roughly chopped
  • 1 stick celery , finely chopped
  • 1 small shallot , finely chopped
  • half fennel bulb, finely chopped
  • 1 small garlic clove , finely chopped
  • 2 sprigs thyme , roughly chopped
  • 4 leaves tarragon , roughly chopped
  • handful basil leaves, roughly chopped
  • 1 tbsp golden caster sugar
  • 2 pinches cayenne pepper
  • 5 drops Worcestershire sauce
  • 3 drops Tabasco sauce

TO SERVE

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Per serving

141 kcalories, protein 6g, carbohydrate 25g, fat 3 g, saturated fat 0g, fibre 7g, sugar 4g, salt 0.3 g

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