Best Charred Tomato Soup Recipes

CHARRED TOMATO SOUP WITH CORIANDER AND CILANTRO

Steps:

• Prepare a charcoal grill or light the broiler. Remove cores from tomatoes and cut them in half horizontally. Season with salt and pepper on both sides and brush lightly with olive oil.
• Place tomatoes skin-side down on the grill and leave for about 10 minutes, until skins are blackened and tomatoes have softened slightly. (If using the broiler, place the tomatoes on a rimmed baking sheet skin-side up and broil for 10 minutes.) Transfer tomatoes to a large bowl.
• Add garlic, cayenne, coriander seeds, cilantro, 2 tablespoons olive oil and sherry vinegar. Stir all ingredients together. Let mixture sit for 10 minutes to allow flavors to marry.
• Purée tomato mixture with a blender or food processor. Strain through a medium mesh sieve, if desired. Thin with a little water if too thick. Taste and adjust seasoning. Chill well. (The soup will taste best if served within a few hours.)
• Put cherry tomatoes in a small bowl. Sprinkle with salt and toss with a tablespoon of olive oil.
• To serve, ladle the soup into chilled shallow bowls. Put a large spoonful of ricotta on top, and spoon cherry tomatoes over. Sprinkle with chives.

CHARRED TOMATO SOUP WITH MELTED MOZZARELLA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Heat a large cast iron skillet and add the canola oil. When the oil begins to smoke lightly, add the tomatoes in a single layer. Season with salt, to taste, and add the sugar. You want to blister the skin slightly, drawing out water from the tomatoes, to intensify their flavor. Add the vermouth. Continue cooking on low heat.
• In a soup pot, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and add the garlic, shallots, and red pepper flakes. Season with salt and pepper. Add the oregano and stir to blend. Allow to cook, over low heat, until the shallots and garlic become tender and translucent, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the canned tomatoes and the water. Turn the heat down to medium and cook until the tomato flesh starts to lose shape, 12 to 15 minutes. At this point, the soup should be mushy and blender-ready. If there are still some hard pieces, add a little more water and cook for a few additional minutes. Taste for seasoning.
• Put about half of the tomato soup in the blender and puree until smooth. Next, puree the roasted Roma tomatoes in the blender until smooth, adding the remaining olive oil through the top in a slow, steady stream. Taste for seasoning. Add both back to the remaining chunky soup. Taste for seasoning.
• On a flat surface, slice bread into 4 by 1/2-inch thick slices. Tear each piece into a freeform shape that sits nicely across the top of your soup bowls (the nice torn edges will get super crispy). Set on a sheet tray and toast in oven for 4 to 5 minutes until lightly golden and crispy.
• Ladle the soup into crocks or small oven-proof bowls. Top with 1 piece of toasted bread per bowl. Finish with some shredded mozzarella and broil until golden brown, about 2 minutes.

CHARRED TOMATO SOUP

Steps:

• Heat a large cast iron skillet and add the canola oil. When the oil begins to smoke lightly, add the tomatoes in a single layer. Season with salt, to taste, and add the sugar. You want to blister the skin slightly, drawing out water from the tomatoes, to intensify their flavor. Continue cooking on low heat.
• In a soup pot, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and add the garlic, shallots, and red pepper flakes. Season with salt and pepper. Add the oregano and stir to blend. Allow to cook, over low heat, until the shallots and garlic become tender and translucent, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the canned tomatoes and the water. Turn the heat down to medium and cook until the tomato flesh starts to lose shape, 12 to 15 minutes. At this point, the soup should be mushy and blender-ready. If there are still some hard pieces, add a little more water and cook for a few additional minutes. Taste for seasoning.

SMOKY TOMATO, CHIPOTLE & CHARRED CORN SOUP

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a casserole dish and fry the onion for 10 mins until beginning to soften. Add the garlic, ground coriander and coriander stalks, and cook for 1 min. Stir though the tomatoes, stock and chipotle and bring to a simmer. Cook, covered, over a low heat for 20 mins, stirring occasionally.
• Meanwhile, bring a pan of water to the boil and cook the corn for 4 mins. Drain and leave to cool a little. Cut the kernels off the cob with a sharp knife. Heat a non-stick frying pan over a high heat. Add the corn and fry for 5-7 mins or until charred, stirring now and again.
• Ladle the soup into bowls. Top with the feta, yogurt, charred corn and coriander leaves.

FIRE-CHARRED TOMATO SOUP

Steps:

• 1. If using a gas grill: Place the wood chips (if using) in the smoker box. Preheat the grill, gas or charcoal, to high.2. Cut the tomatoes crosswise into 1-inch-thick slices, cutting out the stem ends. Thread the onion wedges onto a long metal skewer. Brush the tomato slices, onion wedges, and peppers generously with oil, using half of it, and season with salt and pepper.3. When ready to cook, if using a charcoal grill, toss the wood chips (if using) on the coals. For both methods: Oil the grill grate. Arrange the tomatoes, onion skewer, and peppers on the hot grate and grill, turning the onion skewer and peppers with tongs and the tomato slices with a spatula, until the vegetables are nicely charred all over. The bell peppers will take the longest, 15 to 20 minutes, the tomatoes the shortest, about 8 minutes in all. As they are done, transfer to a platter to cool.4. Place the ancho chile on the grate and toast quickly, about 20 seconds per side, just until it becomes smoky and brittle. Take care not to let it burn.5. Using a paring knife, scrape the charred skin off the onions and peppers (don't worry about removing every last bit). Cut the onions into thin crosswise slices: stem and seed the peppers.6. Crumble the toasted chile into a small saucepan with 1 cup of the stock. Heat over medium heat until warm, then remove from the heat and let soak until soft, about 5 minutes.7. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and onion and cook until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, peppers, remaining 6 cups stock, 1 tablespoon vinegar, 1 tablespoon honey, the chile and its soaking liquid, and salt and pepper. Simmer the soup for 5 minutes. If it seems too thick, add a little more stock.8. Transfer the soup to a blender and process to a smooth purée, then return it to the saucepan, pressing it through a strainer if necessary to remove any remaining pieces of charred skin. Stir in 2 tablespoons of the herbs and salt and pepper to taste. If a sharper soup is desired, add a little more vinegar a sweeter soup, a little more honey.9. To serve, ladle the soup into bowls. Top each serving with a dollop of yogurt and sprinkle with the remaining herbs.Serves 8 as a first course