Clear Tomato Soup
Tomatoes, beef stock, and basil are simmered, steeped, and clarified to make a lovely clear broth. Julienned fresh tomato and basil-laced mini-dumplings are put into the serving bowls before the broth is ladled over them. While served hot in this preparation, the broth would also work well as a cold soup, ladled over parboiled carrot discs and snow peas.
Ingredients
- Tomatoes - 1-1/2 pounds, peeled
- Beef Stock - 2-1/2 quarts
- Fresh basil - 1 sprig
- Beef - 1 pound
- Dried Tomatoes - 2
- Carrots - 2, peeled
- Small Potatoes - 2
- Egg Whites - 6
- Tomato paste - 2 tablespoons
- Mini-dumplings
- Unsalted Butter - 1/8 cup
- Egg Yolks - 3
- White Bread Crumbs - 1/3 cup
- Ricotta cheese - 5 ounces
- Basil leaves - 1, minced
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Few grindings nutmeg
- Garnish
- Tomato - 1 large, peeled and seeded
- Basil leaves
Instructions
To make the soup: Quarter the tomatoes. Put the beef stock in a large pot and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Add the tomatoes and set aside off the heat to steep for four hours. Put in the refrigerator to chill.
Mince the beef and tomatoes. Add the tomato paste and 3 ice cubes; mix well to create a paste-like consistency.
Put the stock mixture over medium-high heat. When it reaches about room temperature, stir in the beef mixture and egg whites. Bring to a boil, stirring several times as it heats. Add the basil. Reduce the heat to medium; let simmer for 1 hour. Remove and ladle through a cheesecloth-lined sieve to clarify.
To make the dumplings: Stir all ingredients together into a sticky dough. Bring a large pot of water to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium or lower so that the water barely simmers. Roll the dough into 1-1/2-inch balls and put in the simmering water. Cook 15 minutes. Remove and drain on paper towels.
To serve: Cut the tomato pieces into long julienne. Put several strips of tomato and some dumplings in the bottom of each serving bowl. Ladle the clarified soup over them. Top each with a basil leaf.
