Recipe
Surprisingly Delicious Peach & Tomato Pairing! Kasahara-Style Chilled Peach and Tomato Soup
Ingredients
- 3tomatoes
- 1peach
- 3shiso leaves
- Apinch of black pepper
- 1/2tsp salt
- 2tsp sugar
- 2tbsp Taihaku sesame oil (vegetable oil can be used instead)
About "Chilled Peach and Tomato Soup"
This chilled soup combines peaches and tomatoes, perfectly matching the gentle sweetness of peach with the acidity of tomato. Emulsifying the soup with Taihaku sesame oil creates a creamy mouthfeel, while straining it through a sieve achieves a silky-smooth texture. Perfect for breakfast on a hot day, this is a special dish served as a summer staple by professional chefs.
Introduction to 【賛否両論】笠原将弘の料理のほそ道 →
Tips for Making "Chilled Peach and Tomato Soup"
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Prep
- Peel half of the peach and leave the other half unpeeled. Since the strongest aroma and umami are near the skin, leaving some skin on maximizes the flavor.
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Seasoning
- Adding Taihaku sesame oil emulsifies the soup, creating a rich and creamy mouthfeel. Pressed from raw sesame seeds, it is colorless and odorless, so it won't overpower the dish.
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Chilling
- After marinating, resting the mixture in the fridge for 30 minutes draws out moisture and umami, transforming it into a deeply flavorful soup.
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Finishing
- After blending until completely smooth, straining carefully through a sieve removes any remaining skins and seeds to achieve a silky texture.
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Plating
- Chilling the bowls in the refrigerator beforehand enhances the refreshing taste of the cold soup.
Ingredients for "Chilled Peach and Tomato Soup"
7 items* Tap ingredient names to find on Amazon
How to Make "Chilled Peach and Tomato Soup"
- 1
Prep the tomatoes and peach
Remove the stems from 3 tomatoes and chop them into bite-sized pieces. Remove the pit from 1 peach; peel one half and leave the other half unpeeled, then roughly chop both halves. Finely julienne the shiso leaves.
- 2
Marinate and chill for 30 minutes
Place the tomatoes and peach in a bowl, add 1/2 tsp salt, 2 tsp sugar, and 2 tbsp Taihaku sesame oil, and mix well. Let it rest in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes to concentrate the flavors.
- 3
Blend and strain
Set aside a small amount of chopped tomato for the topping. Place the rest, along with all the juices, into a blender and blend until completely smooth. Strain carefully through a fine sieve to achieve a silky texture, then season with a pinch of salt. Chill in the refrigerator.
- 4
Plate and serve
Pour the chilled soup into chilled bowls, and garnish the center with the reserved finely chopped tomatoes and julienned shiso. Sprinkle with black pepper and drizzle with a little Taihaku sesame oil.
Food Science
When the rich umami component 'glutamic acid' in tomatoes is combined with the sweetness and acidity of peaches, salt, and sugar, it creates an excellent balance of the five basic tastes (sweetness, acidity, saltiness, and umami). Additionally, sprinkling salt draws out excess moisture from the ingredients through osmotic pressure, concentrating the flavors, while the Taihaku sesame oil coats the mixture to promote emulsification, adding richness and a smooth mouthfeel.
Detailed Commentary on "Chilled Peach and Tomato Soup"
* Content organized by topics from the video.
Chitchat about peaches and Momoko Kikuchi
The video kicks off with Chef Kasahara's lighthearted banter. Before introducing the summer-perfect Chilled Peach and Tomato Soup, he chats about singer Momoko Kikuchi, inspired by the word 'peach' (momo). Chef Kasahara and Momoko Kikuchi actually grew up in the same neighborhood, and she was famous locally even back then. The atmosphere warms up as he and the staff exchange stories about her transition from an idol to the lead vocalist of the band 'Ra-Mu,' as well as the discount supermarket chain of the same name. This soup is a stylish, special dish actually served as a summer staple at Chef Kasahara's restaurant, Sanpi Ryoron. Using peaches and tomatoes at the peak of their season, he carefully explains how to recreate this professional flavor at home.
Prepping ripe tomatoes and peaches
The cooking begins. The tomatoes and peaches should ideally be fully ripe. Since they will be blended into a soup, it is perfectly fine if they are slightly bruised or overripe. First, remove the stems from 3 tomatoes, chop them into bite-sized pieces, and place them in a bowl. Next, pit 1 peach. Here is the Kasahara-style twist: peel half of the peach, but leave the other half unpeeled before chopping. Because the strongest aroma and umami are concentrated near the skin, leaving some skin on maximizes the peach flavor. During the prep, the lively atmosphere continues with fun banter about music and comedians, including Noriyuki Makihara's song 'Momo' and Shinji Maki's ukulele comedy routines.
The secret of marinating and emulsifying
Once the chopped tomatoes and peaches are combined in the bowl, they are marinated to let the flavors meld. Add 1/2 tsp of salt, 2 tsp of sugar, and 2 tbsp of Taihaku sesame oil. Taihaku sesame oil is pressed from raw sesame seeds, making it colorless, odorless, and free of the typical toasted sesame aroma. Since it doesn't overpower other ingredients, it is incredibly versatile in Japanese cuisine. Adding this oil allows the soup to emulsify beautifully, resulting in a rich, creamy mouthfeel. After mixing everything thoroughly, let it rest in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes to draw out the moisture and umami from the ingredients. This extra step is the key to transforming simple ingredients into a deeply flavorful soup rather than just a juice.
Blending and straining for a silky texture
After chilling in the fridge for 30 minutes, the tomatoes and peaches are in perfect condition, with their natural juices drawn out. Set aside a small amount of tomato for the topping, and transfer the rest, along with all the juices, into a blender. Blend thoroughly until completely smooth, then carefully strain through a sieve to achieve an exquisite texture. Since both the tomatoes and peaches were blended with their skins, straining removes any remaining bits of skin or seeds, resulting in a silky-smooth finish. Chef Kasahara also shares ideas for fruit-based 'surinagashi' (pureed soups). At his restaurant, combinations like watermelon with pickled plum (umeboshi), or young ginger with pineapple, are highly popular in summer. He emphasizes that the secret to making delicious fruit soups lies in adding oil to promote emulsification.
Garnishes and flavor pairings
While the soup is chilling, prepare the toppings. Finely chop the reserved tomatoes. To add a refreshing aroma, finely julienne 3 shiso leaves. Here, Chef Kasahara shares an interesting perspective on combining fruits and vegetables. He loves pairing ingredients of similar 'colors,' such as melon with shiso, melon with cucumber and shiso, or strawberries with tomatoes. He notes that adding cucumber to melon elevates it from a simple fruit to a cohesive 'culinary dish.' However, he jokingly warns that some same-color pairings, like grapes and eggplant, do not taste good together, so caution is advised.
Plating and tasting reactions
Now for the final plating. Pre-chilling the bowls in the refrigerator is a professional touch to ensure the cold soup is enjoyed at its best. Pour the chilled soup into the bowls, and garnish the center with the chopped tomatoes and shiso. Finish with a sprinkle of black pepper to tighten the flavors, and drizzle a little Taihaku sesame oil over the top. The chef's apprentices join the tasting and rave about the silky texture and the perfect balance between the tomato's acidity and the peach's sweetness and aroma. One apprentice even jokingly remarks that they want to take it via IV drip, highlighting how deeply comforting and delicious it is. Chef Kasahara wraps up the video by suggesting a luxurious summer indulgence: 'Eating this for breakfast on a hot day, followed by a cold beer, is the absolute best.'
About 【賛否両論】笠原将弘の料理のほそ道
【賛否両論】笠原将弘の料理のほそ道
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