Chilled Tomato Soup With Basil Guacamole

1. 1

   To prepare the tomato soup, heat the broth over low-medium heat in a saucepan. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Tie the thyme, basil, and bay leaf together with a piece of kitchen twine. Add the herbs, onions, leeks, fennel, celery, red pepper, and garlic to the pot. Sweat over low heat, stirring often, until the vegetables are very soft, approximately 15 minutes. Reduce heat to medium and add the tomato paste. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the hot broth and bring to a boil. Simmer for 20 minutes. Add the fresh tomatoes, return to a boil, and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove the soup from the heat and set aside to cool.

2. 2

   Refrigerate the soup until cold, approximately 2 hours. Remove and discard the herbs and blend the soup in a blender until smooth. Add the tomato juice, and season to taste with Tabasco sauce, celery salt, salt, and white pepper. Strain through a sieve.

3. 3

   To prepare the guacamole, put the avocado, basil, lemon juice, Tabasco sauce, and salt in a bowl. Crush the avocado chunks with a fork and mix the ingredients well, keeping a chunky consistency. To serve, garnish each bowl of soup with a dollop of guacamole.

* Per serving · 4 servings · Values may vary.