Chilled Tomato-Strawberry Soup

Name: Chilled Tomato-Strawberry Soup
Prep time: PT0D0H0M
Cook time: PT0D1H45M
Total time: PT0D1H45M
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 1½ lb. tomatoes, coarsely chopped; 1 cup halved hulled strawberries; ½ cup sour cream or Greek yogurt; 1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar; 1 garlic clove; 1 small red onion, quartered; 1 thick sourdough or baguette slice, torn; Fine salt and freshly ground black pepper; ¼ cup olive oil; 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes; Dill flowers, for garnish (optional); ¼ cup olive oil; 1 Tbsp. sesame seeds; ½ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes; 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced; Pinch fine salt

What to do with those extra berries languishing in the fridge? Blitz them into bright, zippy Polish chłodnik.

Serves
4
Time
1 hour 45 minutes

MICHAŁ KORKOSZ

By Michał Korkosz

Published on April 15, 2024

I once read that food scientists say tomatoes and strawberries are made of the same flavor components, so they can be used interchangeably in cooking. I respectfully disagree; however, these two fruits do go together perfectly. My modern take—combining strawberries with garlic and dill—may seem unusual, but the strawberries make a subtle complement to the tomato flavor. You can also replace the strawberries with watermelon, raspberries, cherries, apricots, or melon.

Adapted from Polish’d: Modern Vegetarian Cooking from Global Poland © Michał Korkosz, 2023. Reprinted by permission of the publisher, The Experiment.

Featured in “Moving Past Pierogi: The New Face of Polish Cuisine” by Olga Mecking.

Ingredients

For the soup:

1½ lb. tomatoes, coarsely chopped
1 cup halved hulled strawberries
½ cup sour cream or Greek yogurt
1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
1 garlic clove
1 small red onion, quartered
1 thick sourdough or baguette slice, torn
Fine salt and freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup olive oil
1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
Dill flowers, for garnish (optional)

For the crispy garlic oil:

¼ cup olive oil
1 Tbsp. sesame seeds
½ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
Pinch fine salt

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Instructions

Step 1

Make the soup: In a large bowl, toss together the chopped tomatoes, strawberries, sour cream, vinegar, garlic, onion, bread, 1 teaspoon of salt, and black pepper to taste. Refrigerate until the bread is soft, about 30 minutes.

Step 2

Meanwhile, make the garlic oil: To a small skillet over low heat, add the oil, sesame seeds, red pepper flakes, and garlic. Cook until the garlic is soft and beginning to brown, about 8 minutes. Pour into a heatproof measuring cup and set aside. When cool enough to taste, season with salt.

Step 3

Transfer the tomato mixture to a food processor and blend until very smooth. With the food processor running on low, add the oil in a slow, steady stream until the soup is thick and velvety. Refrigerate until cold, 1–2 hours.

Step 4

To serve, divide the soup among four bowls. Top evenly with the cherry tomatoes, garlic oil, and dill flowers if desired.

Make the soup: In a large bowl, toss together the chopped tomatoes, strawberries, sour cream, vinegar, garlic, onion, bread, 1 teaspoon of salt, and black pepper to taste. Refrigerate until the bread is soft, about 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, make the garlic oil: To a small skillet over low heat, add the oil, sesame seeds, red pepper flakes, and garlic. Cook until the garlic is soft and beginning to brown, about 8 minutes. Pour into a heatproof measuring cup and set aside. When cool enough to taste, season with salt.
Transfer the tomato mixture to a food processor and blend until very smooth. With the food processor running on low, add the oil in a slow, steady stream until the soup is thick and velvety. Refrigerate until cold, 1–2 hours.
To serve, divide the soup among four bowls. Top evenly with the cherry tomatoes, garlic oil, and dill flowers if desired.