Roasted Oakhill Farms Juliette Tomato Soup With Fried Green Tomatoes, Lemon Basil, Cumin, and Epazote
Juliette Tomato Soup
1/2 pound butter
1 small onion, diced
2 small leeks, diced (washed, whites only)
4 small stalks celery, diced
2 small carrots, diced
salt and pepper to taste
30 small very ripe juliette tomatoes, diced, or 6 cups small very ripe red beefsteak tomatoes, diced
1 bunch lemon basil, chopped
1 teaspoon toasted cumin seed (you can find it in the spice aisle at the grocery store)
1 teaspoon epazote (we used dried but 1 teaspoon would be equal to 5 or 6 leaves fresh epazote)
1/2 cup brown rice
1 to 2 gallons chicken stock (or chicken broth)
In a large sauce pot [we recommend using at least a 10 quart stockpot] melt butter and add onion, leeks, celery, carrots, salt, and pepper. Cook for 5 minutes on high heat until onions are soft and translucent. Add 1/2 of the tomatoes (15 tomatoes or 3 cups) and 1/2 of the lemon basil. Add all of the cumin and epazote. Cook for 5 minutes more, add the brown rice, and cover with chicken stock until vegetables are beading out of stock (covered completely with 2 fingers of extra stock). Boil, reduce to a simmer, cook rice for 20 minutes. Add remainder of tomatoes and lemon basil. Simmer for 10 minutes and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Remove and purée with a hand beurre mixer, or carefully purée in a Cuisinart, or blend being careful of the hot soup.
Fried Green Tomatoes
10 tomatillos
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup Wondra flour (any flour will do, but we prefer Wondra)
2 cups peanut oil (if you prefer, may use canola oil)
Slice tomatillos into 1/4-inch slices, put through breading procedure (dip in buttermilk, dip in Wondra flour, dip in buttermilk, dip in Wondra flour). Fry in 2 cups peanut oil at 350 degrees in a saucepot or tabletop fryer until crisp (15 minutes). Remove and season with salt and pepper.
To serve, place 8 ounces of soup in a bowl. Garnish with 3 to 5 pieces of fried green tomatoes and 1 sprig of lemon basil. Makes 2 to 3 gallons. Bon appétit.
