Thomas Keller's Tomato Sorbet

The sorbet can be made in a variety of flavors and colors by changing the type of tomato you use. Early Girl, Green Zebra, and Mandarin are just a few that work beautifully. It has a very clean flavor, so it also works perfectly as a plated canape or all by itself as an intermezzo, or palate refresher between courses.

Ingredients

2¼ lbs tomatoes (6-7 medium tomatoes) peeled, seeded, and chopped into 1-inch pieces
1 tbsp canola oil
⅓ cup yellow onion finely chopped
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
pinch chopped tarragon
pinch cayenne
¾ cup Simple Syrup plus 2 tablespoons
1 tsp Julienned zest of ½ orange brought to a boil in cold water, strained and repeated 2 additional times
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

Place the tomatoes in a saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cook, stirring often, for about 45 minutes, or until the tomatoes have reduced by half: there may still be a small amount of liquid remaining.
Meanwhile, heath the oil in a skillet over low heat. Add the onions and cook gently for 7 to 8 minutes, or until tender.
Place the reduced tomatoes and the onions in a blender and puree them until very smooth.
Press the mixture through a tamis (there will be about 1 cup of puree) and return it to the blender. Add the remaining sorbet ingredients and blend again.
Strain through a chinois. There should be about 1½ cups of sorbet base: cool the mixture in an ice-water bath or in the refrigerator until cold.
Freeze the sorbet in an ice-cream maker. Store the sorbet in a covered container in the freezer. Tomato sorbet is best eaten the day it is made, but it can be stored for up to 2 days; you will probably have some left over.

Notes

This tomato sorbet can be used in TK's "Salad of Petite Summer Tomatoes with Vine-Ripe Tomato Sorbet" (French Laundry pg. 56) or Vine-Ripe Tomato Sorbet with Tomato Tartare and Basil Oil (French Laundry p. 57)