Chilled Moroccan Tomato Soup

Soup sounds so good in February because it’s freezing out and soup warms you up. Can I get a NO DUH? It’s basically every Campbell’s commercial, ever. 

That understood, why would I make a chilled soup with an off-season ingredient? Because it was recommended to me, and I never pass up the chance to try a recipe that a trusted source has vouched for (this time, a friend of a friend. I’m very trusting). 

My friend Adam passed along this recipe from his friend Emily, and he came over to help me eat it. I decided it could be done with tinned tomatoes, because right now, even with all our modern conveniences, good quality tinned tomatoes are going to be a heck of a lot better than mealy pink “fresh” tomatoes. 

So I went to work, going back to the original recipe printed in the New York Times and adapting it for my tomato cans and lack of a food mill (who has a food mill, seriously? Besides your grandma.). It comes together in about 10 minutes, pre-chilling. 

Clearly, Logan was not around to take pictures tonight.

When I tasted it, I immediately thought of the note Emily sent with the recipe: “you gotta respect a tomato soup loud enough to make you sit up and take notice.” It wasn’t there yet, at least for my spice blind (or possibly defective) taste buds. I needed to turn up the volume. 

It was then that I decided to remix the remix. Maybe the blogger whose entry directed me to the original recipe had the right idea when she used the entire spice mixture for just one serving, and added some shallots. Back to the frying pan with another dose of paprika, cayenne and cumin. 

For me, that did the trick. Solid face-punch of a chilled tomato soup. Sometimes I like to be mildly tortured by my comfort food. #50shadesofsoup

Adam seemed to like the spice as well, but it was a bit much for fellow guinea pig Dan. He dolloped in some Greek yogurt to try to tame the fire, but I think it was an act of pure bravery and kindness on his part that he finished his bowl. 

Making this spice paste made me want to make caramel, real bad.

I’m looking forward to making this again with peak season tomatoes – it would be even more delightful on a disgustingly hot day. I thought the large amount of raw celery would be weird, but it’s noisy and fun in a Snap Crackle Pop kind of way as you chew. Thumbs up, Soup (and Emily).

Chilled Moroccan Tomato Soup

Adapted from The Wednesday Chef and Barbara Kafka for the New York Times

Serves four

GET THIS STUFF

1 shallot, minced 

5 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons sweet paprika
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1 28 oz. can diced San Marzano tomatoes

1.5 cups strained tomatoes
1/4 cup packed chopped cilantro, plus a few leaves as garnish

1 teaspoon white-wine vinegar
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

4 stalks celery, diced 

garlic-infused olive oil, as garnish

DO THIS WITH IT 

Heat a small frying pan over medium heat and add olive oil. Add shallot, garlic, paprika, cumin and cayenne and cook, stirring, for about five minutes. Remove from heat.

Put strained and diced tomatoes in a blender and whir them around a few times to get the consistency you like. I didn't want mine totally smooth, but also not super chunky. Transfer tomatoes to a bowl, and add cilantro, champagne vinegar, lemon juice, 2 tablespoons water and celery. Give it a good stir and taste for salt. 

Chill until cold. To serve, top each bowl with a drizzle of garlic oil and a few cilantro leaves. 

To make garlic oil: Just put a peeled clove of garlic in a frying pan with some olive oil, bring to a boil and then turn heat to low for a few minutes. Remove from heat and cool.