Ingredients:
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 10 pieces of bacon, fried crisp, shopped coarsely, set aside
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon tablespoons mayonnaise
- 2 teaspoons Tabasco or hot sauce
- 1 medium onion, peeled and sliced thin
- 2 scallions, roughly chopped
- 1 gloves garlic peeled and smashed
- 8 large Roma tomatoes chopped small
- 1 teaspoon of kosher salt
- 2 cups chicken stock, homemade or store bought
- 3/4 cup of whole milk
- 1 cup head or romaine lettuce, chopped
- 1 large tomato, seeded and chopped into 1-inch pieces, set aside for garnish
- 2 slices of sourdough bread, toasted, cut into 1-inch cubes
- Fresh basil leaves, sliced thin
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Toast the bread first, cut into 1- inch pieces set aside
- Fry the bacon, chop coarsely, and set aside
Directions:
1. Make spicy mayonnaise by mixing together the mayo and hot sauce, set aside in the refrigerator until ready to use.
2. Heat a medium soup pot on medium high heat for one minute.
3. Add olive oil, onion and scallions, into the saucepan and saute for 5 minutes.
4. Add garlic and saute for two minutes.
5. Add the cut up tomatoes.
6. Lower heat to medium and cook for 20 to 30 minutes to release the natural juices of the tomatoes cooking them down slightly to thicken.
7. Add the chicken stock and simmer for 30 minutes.
8. Transfer soup from saucepan into a blender puree and pass through a strainer (Chinois) with small holes to catch the seeds and skin, (not a tight mesh strainer).
9. Add back into the soup pot and heat through until hot!
10. Chop the head or romaine lettuce into thin strips.
11. Serve in individual bowls and divide the chopped bacon, lettuce and tomatoes evenly among the servings.
12. Top with a small dollop of mayonnaise on each serving and 5 to 6 pieces of toast cubes.
13. Salt and pepper to taste!
Try more of Cristina's recipes here: www.cristinaferrarecooks.com.