Cold Tomato Soup

2 lbs. Ripe Tomatoes

1/2 lb. Cherry Tomatoes

4-5 Cloves Garlic

1/4 Cup Basil

1/2 Serrano Pepper
Salt & Pepper

Summer in a bowl, made by the sun.

At this point in the summer, you've probably grown tired of using tomatoes for the same things again and again. Quick sauces and caprese salads are wonderful, of course. But there comes a time for something new. Here's something you can make that will use your tomatoes in a different way, and cool you off during the dog days of summer. You don't even have to do any cooking.

Begin by peeling and seeding 2 lbs. of tomatoes. I used a combination of beefsteak, Japanese, and roma. The important thing here is to use only the most bursting with ripeness fruit. Tomatoes at the hight of tomatodom. Chop the garlic, snip the basil, and dice the serrano. Add a little salt & pepper to the mix, and, using your hands, squish it all together.

Transfer to a cookie sheet. Cover with plastic wrap and place under the hot sun for three hours. The sunshine will gently break down the tomatoes, releasing the natural sugars. The plastic wrap will enhance this by creating a mini-greenhouse!

After three hours, bring back inside and puree. Transfer to a bowl, and add the cherry tomatoes. Refrigerate for at least an hour. I like to serve this slightly below room temperature for best flavor.