CREAM OF TOMATO SOUP

I TOOK THE CARCASS of my roast chicken and made a very rich stock. In fact, it was a very dark stock indeed!

The carcass of one roast chicken.

Place in a pot and cover with water (about 8-10 cups). Bring to the boil, reduce heat, skim off the scum and let cook, covered for 15 minutes. Add:

1 leek (cut in half, thoroughly cleaned of all sand)

1 unpeeled onion

1 large carrot

2 stalks celery

Bouquet garni of parsley, thyme, rosemary, sage, bay leaf and a few black peppercorns

I cheat and add 1-1/2 cubes of Knorr Chicken Broth thus removing the salt step (at least for now)

Bring to a boil, turn down the heat and simmer undisturbed  with the top somewhat askew for 45 minutes to an hour.  The stock should be pretty clear and transparent except for anything floating on the surface. Remove cover and simmer for another 15-20 minutes and remove from heat. Allow the stock to come to room temperature, put it in the fridge and chill over night. Skim any pieces of congealed fat from the surface, remove vegetables and pour the stock through a fine sieve or china cap strainer lined in cheesecloth or paper towels (moistened under cold water).

Put in a clean pot and clarify the stock with: 

3 egg whites

1 stalk celery, chopped

1 leek (green part only), chopped

1 onion coarsely chopped

Parsley

Tarragon 

Ground pepper

Mix all the ingredients and stir into the stock and turn the heat on high. Stir constantly until the stock comes to the boil. The stirring prevents the egg whites from sticking to the bottom as the mixture heats up. When the stock comes to a boil all of the ingredients should have risen to the surface in a thick layer of vegetables and grayish-white matter. You will see that the broth is starting to become extremely clear and all the solids have separated from the stock and massed at the top. As soon as it starts to the boil, STOP stirring. Lower the heat to a moderate simmer. You will see bubbles, almost like little geysers pushing through the surface. Let the stock simmer untouched for about 45 minutes. Turn the stove off, remove from heat and let sit for about 20 minutes. Again, strain through a sieve or china cap strainer exactly as you did the first time and you will have a very clear and very flavorful consommé.

At this point you can chill it in an air tight plastic container and keep it in the refrigerator for about a week before you will have to use it or freeze it for any future use that calls for clarified stock.

3 lbs. extremely ripe Italian plum tomatoes or tomatoes off the vine

Hull the tomatoes and place in boiling hot water for 15 seconds, remove and rinse under cold water and remove the skins.

Slice them in half, and remove all of the seeds and the main membrane if necessary. Discard the seeds and chop the tomatoes and place in a large bowl. Salt and pepper the tomatoes and let sit for about an hour.  

Heat the consommé and pour the tomatoes into the stock, or, if you are in a hurry, add one small container of good Italian  tomato paste. Correct the seasoning and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and let simmer for 2 hours with the lid slightly ajar. It will reduce by about 1/3. Add 1 cup milk, 4 tb. heavy cream, 4 tb. half and half and 3 tb. butter. Incorporate all of the dairy into the soup, add about 1 tb. freshly chopped tarragon and simmer for about an hour. Serve immediately or chill and serve cold. If serving cold, you will have to oversalt as cold food generally needs more salt.

A variation of this is making the tomato soup without any dairy at all and then adding a chiffonade of basil and replacing the butter with 1/4 cup of olive oil and cooking the tomato soup with shredded pieces of stale bread with the crusts removed. Simmer for an hour and serve immediately.