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1
Soak in a bowl of hot water for 15 minutes: 1 dried ancho chile.
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2
Drain and crush to a paste with a medium-size mortar and pestle.
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3
Remove and set aside.
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4
In another bowl, soak in cold water for 2 minutes: 2 cups crustless cubes of day-old country-style white bread.
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5
Drain and squeeze out the excess water.
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6
In the mortar and pestle, pound together into a paste: 2 garlic cloves, A pinch of salt.
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7
Add the soaked bread, pound until smooth, and set aside.
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8
Cut in half horizontally: 5 pounds ripe tomatoes.
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9
Over a bowl, grate the cut sides of the tomatoes on the medium holes of a box grater until only the skin is left.
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10
Discard the skins.
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11
Pass the pulp through a strainer to remove seeds, if you like.
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12
Stir the chile puree and the bread paste into the tomato pulp in a large bowl.
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13
Add: 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, Salt.
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14
Refrigerate until well chilled.
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15
To speed this up you can set the bowl in another, larger bowl filled with ice.
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16
Taste for seasoning before serving and add more salt if needed.
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17
Make a relish to garnish the soup.
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18
Mix together: 1/2 pound cherry tomatoes, halved, 1 cucumber, peeled and diced, 1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and diced, 1/2 red onion, diced, A handful each of chopped chervil and basil, 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar, 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, Salt, Fresh-ground black pepper.
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19
Divide the chilled soup among 6 to 8 bowls and add a generous spoonful of relish to each bowl.
