Tomato Chowder With Mollet Eggs And Croutons Food

TOMATO CHOWDER WITH MOLLET EGGS AND CROUTONS

Steps:

• Heat the 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large, sturdy saucepan. When the oil is hot but not smoking, add the onions, scallions, carrots and chopped garlic, and cook over high heat, stirring constantly, for 6 to 8 minutes. Sprinkle the flour on top of the mixture, stir thoroughly and cook for 2 minutes longer, stirring. Mix in the stock.
• Meanwhile, place the cherry tomatoes in the bowl of a food processor, and process until coarsely chopped. You should have about 2 cups. Add the can of plum tomatoes, and process for 5 seconds. Add to the soup with the salt, pepper, thyme and sage. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally; then, cover, reduce heat to low and cook for 30 to 40 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
• While the soup is cooking, prepare the garnishes: brush the bread slices with the tablespoon of oil, and bake them in a single layer on a cookie sheet in the 400-degree oven for 10 to 12 minutes, or until nicely browned. Rub one side of the croutons with the peeled garlic clove, and set them aside.
• Using a thumbtack, make a hole in the rounded end of each egg. Lower the eggs gently into a pan containing enough boiling water to cover them, and cook the eggs for 5 minutes in barely boiling water. Drain the hot water from the pan, and shake the pan to crack the shells of the eggs on all sides. Fill the pan with ice and water, and set the eggs aside to cool completely.
• When the eggs are cool, peel them carefully (so as not to damage the yolks, which are still runny) under cool running water.
• At serving time, bring the soup to a strong boil, and ladle about 10 ounces of it into each of six bowls. Place an egg in the center of each bowl, and wait for about 5 minutes for the eggs to warm in the center. Place a crouton in each bowl, and serve, sprinkled, if desired, with the cheese.

TOMATO CHOWDER

Steps:

• Combine the first 7 ingredients in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until vegetables are tender (approx. 15 min).
• Make a double boiler by placing a glass bowl over a pot of simmering water, making sure that the water does not touch the bowl.
• Add butter and stir while it melts. Sprinkle in flour, salt, pepper and mustard. Add milk all at once. Stir in Worcestershire sauce and continue stirring until smooth.
• Add cheese and stir until cheese has melted and sauce is thick.
• Add to vegetables and bring to a boil.
• Add parsley and serve piping hot.

CHICKEN-TOMATO CHOWDER

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, heat 2 tsp of the oil.
• Saute the carrots, scallions, celery and garlic until softened, 5-7 minutes.
• Stir in the tomatoes and broth; bring to a boil, then stir in the potatoes, marjoram, oregano and pepper.
• Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until the potatoes are tender, 15-20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a medium nonstick skillet, heat the remaining 2 tsp of oil.
• Saute the chicken until cooked through, 6-8 minutes.
• Stir into the chowder; stir in the beans and parsley.
• Simmer until heated through, about 5 minutes.

TOMATO SOUP WITH POACHED EGGS AND CRISPY CROUTONS

Steps:

• 1. Heat the oil in a large, wide, heavy saucepan over medium heat. When the oil is hot enough to sizzle a bread cube, add all the bread cubes and saute until golden, about 3 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer to a medium bowl. Sprinkle with salt and a grinding of pepper and set aside.
• 2. Discard the oil in the pan and wipe the pan dry with a paper towel. Add the bacon to the pan and cook, stirring, over medium heat for 2 minutes. Add the onion, reduce the heat to medium-low and saute until golden, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and red pepper flakes and saute for 1 minute more.
• 3. Place a food mill over the saucepan and puree th etomatoes and their juices directly into the pan. (Or, if you do not have a good mill, puree in a food processor and press through a strainer, using a rubber spatula; discard the solids.) Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the liquid is slightly reduced, about 20 minutes. Season to taste. (The soup can be made up to 1 day ahead.)
• 4. Just before serving, break the eggs one at a time into a cup and slip them into the simmering soup, distributing them evenly. Cover and cook until the whites are setand the yolks are cooked to the desired doneness, 8 to 10 minutes.
• 5. Distribute the croutons among four soup bowls. Carefully ladle the eggs into the bowls, then ladle the soup on top. Top each serving with some of the parsley and cheese and serve.