This is a fresh and easy dish to serve to tomato lovers to kick off a summery meal. Serve with crusty white bread.
Blend the chopped red tomatoes, shallots, Tabasco sauce, Worcestershire sauce and basil leaves in a food processor for 8-10 seconds until just broken up but not puréed – it should resemble gazpacho. Season, to taste, with salt flakes, then pulse again.
Line a colander with a large piece of muslin cloth, then suspend it over a large bowl. Strain the tomato mixture into the muslin and seal with pegs or string, then place the whole bowl into the fridge to drip away for at least 4 hours or overnight, without pressing or squeezing it at all.
Remove the bowl from the fridge and lift the colander and muslin bag from it. Add a little olive oil to the strained liquid, then simmer in a saucepan for 12-15 minutes. Season, to taste, with salt, extra Worcestershire sauce and extra Tabasco sauce, then cover and set aside until cold. Chill in the fridge until ready to serve.
To serve, ladle the tomato consommé into bowls and garnish with a few pieces of the heritage tomatoes and small basil leaves.
Tip 1: Don’t discard the contents of the muslin bag once all of the tomato juice has been extracted - you can make great tomato sauce with it to serve with pasta.
Tip 2: You can serve this consommé cold or warm. Freeze leftovers in ice cube trays to use in a Bloody Mary.
