Recipe: Heirloom tomato bisque with green pea pesto

Vanilla is one of the most recognized flavours and scents in the world, but it's often only associated with desserts but in Chef Natasha MacAller's new book, she wants cooks to consider using vanilla in savoury dishes.

"You can do so many things with vanilla in savoury applications," she told North by Northwest's Sheryl MacKay. "I call vanilla the power behind the throne of fragrance and flavour. It's astonishing how all the flavours work together."

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MacAller's new cookbook Vanilla Table: The Essence of Exquisite Cooking from the World's Best Chefs is a collection of recipes ranging from homestyle entrees like baked beans and chicken meatloaf, to desserts like chocolate malt cake and quince tarte tatin.

More than half the cookbook is devoted to savoury recipes featuring vanilla, including her heirloom tomato bisque with green pea pesto.

Heirloom Tomato Bisque with Green Pea Pesto

Serves 4

Bisque Ingredients:

• 12 medium (2 lb) fresh tomatoes (28 oz canned whole tomatoes)
• 2 tsp brown sugar
• 2 tsp fine sea salt
• 3 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 vanilla pod, split and scraped
• 1 onion, peeled and chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 bay leaf, bruised
• 1.5 cups chicken or vegetable stock
• 1 Tbsp fresh cracked pepper
• 3 Tbsp, or to taste, fresh lemon juice
• Sea salt flakes to taste
• ½ cup cream or crème fraiche or Greek yogurt

Green Pea Pesto Ingredients:

• 1 cup fresh or frozen green peas
• 1 garlic clove, chopped
• 5 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tsp basil leaves, chopped
• 2 tsp, or to taste, fresh lemon juice
• 2 Tbsp Parmesan cheese
• Sea salt and cracked pepper to taste
• ¼ cup crème fraiche to serve, if wished

Method:

1. If using fresh tomatoes - preheat the oven to 375°F.  Line a baking tray with lightly greased foil, then place halved tomatoes cut-side up on sheet.  Sprinkle with sugar and salt and roast for 40 minutes, until bubbly and lightly browned on top.

2. Melt the butter in a large sauce pan with vanilla seeds and pod.  Add onion and cook until translucent.  Add garlic, bay leaf and stock.  Add roasted tomatoes (or canned) and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes (or 30 minutes for canned tomatoes).

3. Add pepper and season to taste with lemon juice and salt.  Simmer an additional 5 minutes then remove vanilla pod and discard.

4. Puree liquid with a hand blender or food mill until smooth.  Gently whisk in cream, yogurt or crème fraiche.

For Green pea pesto:  

1. Simmer peas in salted water for 2 minutes.  Drain well then pour into a food processor bowl with the S blade.  Add garlic, oil, basil and lemon juice.  Whizz to a fine puree then add Parmesan with salt and pepper to taste.

2. Set aside or chill until ready to serve.

To Serve:

 Top the bisque with green pea pesto and crème fraiche (if wished) and serve immediately with warm buttered toast.  May be refrigerated and reheated next day, or you can also serve this bisque cold.