Tomato Soup
End of season every year when I pick those green tomatoes the night before the big freeze and bring them inside in every bucket, pail, roasting pan and other large kitchen device but not the cooking pots, its always the same. Most will turn a nice red (or yellor or purple or whatever) in about two weeks just sitting inside. This year it was only about 7 gallons of loose packed green tomatoes, maybe half or less than what I am used to getting the past three or so years. Some years I make red chile this year tomato soup.
Day One
When the majority of the green tomatoes have ripened begin the scalding, peeling, seeding process just like you were going to can them but just put them in your biggest (ok only 12 quarts) stock pot as you seed them. Don't worry about mushing a few or cutting uniform pieces just get most of the seeds out and save all the juices into that big stock pot. Since this took all evening after dinner one night I just brought the 7-8 quarts to a boil then covered them, turned them off and went to bed.
Day Two
Start tomatoes heating on low.
Take that last yellow summer squash that still looks nice and firm not any bad spots and remove the seeds then dice. Begin saute in large frying pan using EVOO
3 medium onions, Diced very small add to frying pan
2 heads (maybe 10 - 15 gloves) garlic again diced very small add to frying pan
Saute the onions and garlic until thoroughly cooked but not browned. When done add to the tomatoes.
1 cup packed fresh parsley chopped small, add to the soup
1 cup packed fresh basil chopped small, add to the soup
1 cup packed fresh cilantro chopped small, add to the soup
3 Tablespoons coriander (cilantro seeds) fresh ground, add to the soup
1 teaspoon ground Allspice
1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1 teaspoon dried cumin powder
3 quarts chicken broth
Simmer all day on low, serve one bowl the first night with a ladel of fresh heavy cream and a slice of home made bread.
Day Three
Warm the soup to start the day and add another quart of chicken broth or even two if needed, its soup not Italian gravy. Serve on day two for lunch with grated parmasean and some more home made bread.
Day Four
Package for freezing in one quart containers. This soup will be suitable to add a can of corn on a cold winter night and call it Tomato Corn Chowder, or as the base of anything else you want to call vegetable soup.
Observation: a thorough chef might have run the squash, onion, garlic saute through the blender. Dried herbs can be substituted but fresh cilantro and basil really make a big difference if you were able to get any after that freeze.
