Ratatouille soup

4 servings

Ingredients

Quantity Ingredient
2 pounds Tomatoes, Red Ripe
2 tablespoons Olive Oil
⅓ cup Onion -- peeled and chopped
1 teaspoon Garlic -- minced
¾ cup Zucchini -- chopped
¾ cup Eggplant -- peeled and chopped
¾ cup Red Bell Pepper -- chopped
2 tablespoons Fresh Basil Leaves * -- rinsed and sliced
1 teaspoon Fresh Thyme Leaves -- minced
2 cups Vegetable Or Chicken Stock
pinch Cayenne
1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
⅛ teaspoon Black Pepper -- freshly ground

Directions

* Plus 4 to 6 sprigs of basil for garnish 1. To peel the tomatoes, bring 2 qts of water to a boil in a large pot. Cut the core from the tomatoes with a paring knife and plunge them into the boiling water for 30 seconds. Remove with a slotted spoon and immediately immerse in ice water until cool. Use a knife to gently peel the skin, which shoul be discarded.

2. Cut the tomatoes in half crosswise and squeeze them gently over a mesh strainer to separate the seeds from the juice. Reserve the juice.

3. Gently flatten the tomato halves on a cutting board and coarsely chop into 1-inch pieces. Place the chopped tomatoes and the reserved juice in a bowl and set aside.

4. Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a 3-qt saucepan. Add the onion and garlic and cook for 1 min. Stir in the zucchini, eggplant, and red pepper, sauteing until softened but not browned, about 5 mins.

5. Add the tomatoes and their juice, the basil, thyme, broth, cayenne, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, lower the heat to a simmer, cover, and cook until soft, about 15 mins.

6. Carefully pour the hot soup into a blender or food processor and puree until smooth. Serve hot or chilled with a sprig of fresh basil as a garnish.

Recipe By : The Union Square Cafe Cookbook - ISBN 0-06-017013-1 From: Dan Klepach Date: 08-21-95 (22:47) (159) Fido: Cooking

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