Tomato Bisque Croustade Recipe

Rich, creamy tomato soup is topped with puff pastry croustade crusts. To easily remove the skins from fresh tomatoes, place them in a zip-top bag and freeze overnight. Let them thaw in the bag, and the skins will slip right off. The baking soda removes some of the acidity of the tomatoes and "sweetens" the soup, but you make omit it.

Prep Time: 25 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Ingredients:

• 3 Tablespoons butter
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 6 medium-large ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped (see Note)
• Salt and fresh-ground black pepper, to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 3 Tablespoons orange juice concentrate
• 1 (17.3-ounce) package frozen puff pastry sheets, thawed according to package directions
• 1 egg
• 1 Tablespoon water

Preparation:

Heat butter in a nonreactive saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onions and saute 5 minutes until soft. Add the tomatoes, salt, pepper, baking soda, and thyme. Cook 10 to 12 minutes until thickened and paste-like. Remove from heat and stir in cream and orange juice. Reheat. Place a portion in each of 8 (3/4-cup to 1-cup) dishes, souffles or ramekins.

Place puff pastry sheets on work surface and cut into 4 square pieces by cutting through the center of the sheet in both directions.

Whisk egg and water and brush mixture around edges of each piece of pastry. Place a piece of pastry, egg side down, firmly over top of each dish. Press dough against side of dish to seal firmly. Brush top of pastry with egg wash. Place bowls on baking sheet in 400-degree F oven 45 minutes until pastry browns and puffs. Serve immediately.

Note: How to peel a tomato: Bring a saucepan of water to a boil. Add the tomato(es) and return to boil. Let boil about 10 to 15 seconds. Test the skin with your finger tips to be sure it has loosened and will slip away from the tomato pulp. Drain and run under cold water or plunge into ice water to stop cooking. Peel tomatoes over a bowl to catch juices. Then cut tomatoes in half side to side. Hold over bowl and remove seeds. Let them and juices drop into bowl. When all tomatoes are peeled and seeded, strain the liquid to remove seeds. Discard seeds and add liquid to tomatoes.

Yield: 8 servings

Per serving: 515 calories, 69 percent calories from fat, 7 grams protein, 35 grams carbohydrates, 2 grams total fiber, 39 grams total fat, 16 grams saturated fat, 75 milligrams cholesterol, 251 milligrams sodium.

Recipe Source: The New James Beard by James Beard (Knopf)
Reprinted with permission.

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