Heirloom Tomato & Victoria Gin Soup

By Chef Jennifer Dodd, Edible Canada at the Market 

“Chef Dodd celebrates tomato season with this gin-spiked soup. There are still a few heirloom tomatoes on market shelves, so you can savour late summer’s flavour with this light yet warming dish. She uses goat cheese from Goat’s Pride organic dairy in Abbotsford and gin from Victoria Spirits

Heirloom Tomato & Victoria Gin Soup with goat’s pride crème fraiche & crispy pancetta

Serves 4

8 Heirloom Tomatoes

2 Onions

3 cloves Garlic

2 Bay Leaves

1 bunch Thai Basil

1 Thai Bird Chili

2 stalks Celery

1 Lime

250ml Whipping Cream

250ml Water

50g  Pancetta

40ml Crème Fraiche

20g Goat Cheese

50ml Olive Oil

250ml Victoria Gin

1 tin Tomato Paste

Medium dice 6 tomatoes & celery, peel & chop onions & garlic.

Heat a medium pot & add oil. Sauté onions, garlic & celery until onions are translucent.  Add in tomato paste & cook out for about 5 minutes, stirring often to avoid burning.

Deglaze with gin & reduce until almost dry. Add in tomatoes, bay leaf, 1/2 Thai basil & Thai chili, cook out for about 10min. Add in water, bring to a boil & simmer for about 30min.

Add in cream & puree with a blender or hand blender, strain through a fine mesh strainer.

Season soup with lime juice, salt & pepper to taste. Whip softened goat cheese & crème fraiche together. Dice remaining 2 tomatoes & mix in julienne Thai basil.

Small dice & cook pancetta in a sauté pan until crispy, drain off on a paper towel.

Dollop the goat cheese mixture onto the soup, and garnish with pancetta and basil-tomato.