Basil: 120g, leaves and stems separated
Canola oil: 250g
Beefsteak tomatoes: 450g frozen tomatoes, defrosted
Olive oil: 180g olive oil + 1 tbsp
Thyme: 2 sprigs thyme, leaves stripped
Baby onions: 2, approximately 340g, diced
Garlic cloves: 6, sliced
Smoked paprika: 1 tbsp + 1 tsp
Cayenne pepper: ¼ tsp
Sherry vinegar: 60g
Vegetable broth: 1l homemade vegetable scrap stock
Kosher salt
Black pepper
Stale bread: 120g
Are you looking to use up softening tomatoes and bread that's past its best? Try this food waste-reducing recipe
Raised in London, educated in New York, and a key figure in the city's non-profit food scene, chef Elizabeth Richards sees cooking as an act of service and love.
"The community that is built and nurtured around plates of food sustains the soul. And when we cook with a mindful approach to sustainability, we are showing love to the planet."
Behind this recipe is a tip about what to do with tomatoes once they begin to soften. "As their texture changes past my preferences, I freeze them. Then, once I have a big enough batch, I defrost them and make soup or sauce."
Blanch the basil leaves in heavily salted water for 5 seconds and cool in ice water.
Squeeze out all the water from the basil leaves and add to a blender with ¾ tsp kosher salt and the canola oil.
Blend until thoroughly incorporated and then pass through a fine mesh sieve to separate the solids. Save the reserved basil pulp.
Set a smoker to 100°C.
Arrange tomatoes on a rack on top of a foil-lined baking sheet and drizzle with 60g of olive oil, season with a tsp of kosher salt and a few cracks of black pepper and sprinkle with thyme leaves.
Smoke the tomatoes for 2 hours until the skins start cracking and peeling.
Peel the skin off of the tomatoes and reserve for the tomato powder.
Heat 60g of olive oil in a medium pot over medium heat.
Once the oil is shimmering, add the basil stems and cook for 10 minutes.
Remove the basil stems and add the onions. Season with a tsp of salt and saute for 10 minutes, until soft and translucent, approximately 7-10 minutes.
Add the garlic, 1 tbsp smoked paprika and cayenne pepper and continue cooking for another 5 minutes.
Deglaze the pan with the sherry vinegar.
Add vegetable stock and the roasted tomatoes to the pot.
Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Simmer for 15 minutes.
Thoroughly blend the soup with the reserved basil pulp with an immersion blender or a regular blender.
Mix in the remaining 60g of olive oil. Taste and adjust seasoning.
This soup can be stored in a refrigerator for up to 4 days or frozen and stored for up to 4 months.
Place the tomato skins in a single layer in a dehydrator set to 58°C or on a rack above a sheet tray in an oven set to the lowest possible setting, typically around 80°C. Dehydrate the skins until they are completely dry and crispy. In a dehydrator this will take approximately 5 hours, in an oven this will take around 1.5-2 hours.
Once the tomatoes are completely dry and cool, add them to a spice grinder and process until you are left with a fine powder.
Store in an airtight container.
Preheat an oven to 190°C.
Cut the bread into 1 cm cubes, toss with the remaining 15g of smoked paprika and 8g kosher salt.
Toast the croutons in the oven for 5 mins until golden brown on all sides. Remove from the oven and toss with 1-2 tbsp of tomato powder.
Divide the soup into bowls. Top each bowl with a drizzle of basil oil and a sprinkle of the tomato croutons.
This soup can be eaten hot or cold.
