Grilled Yellow Tomato Bisque

This bisque can be made up to two days in advance. Although the yellow color is quite charming, red tomatoes can be substituted.

• 8 large ripe yellow tomatoes (about 3-1/2 lb. total)
• 1 Tbs. olive oil
• 1 medium-size red onion, chopped
• 1 qt. homemade or low-salt chicken broth
• 1 tsp. granulated sugar
• 1 cup heavy cream
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh mint

Prepare a grill by adjusting the grill grate so that it’s 4 to 5 inches from the flame or heat source. Heat a gas grill to high and a charcoal grill to medium hot (the coals should be covered with light ash, and you should be able to hold your hand just over the grate for no more than 3 seconds). Put the whole tomatoes on the grate and grill, turning occasionally, until the skins crack and begin to blacken in some parts and the tomatoes soften, 7 to 9 minutes over charcoal, 12 to 15 minutes on a gas grill. Take them off the grill, core them, and coarsely chop them.

Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 7 minutes. Stir in the chopped tomatoes, chicken broth, and sugar. Increase the heat, bring to a boil, turn the heat to medium, and simmer until the soup is reduced by one quarter, about 20 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes.

In a blender, purée the soup in batches until smooth, 2 to 3 minutes per batch. Strain through a fine sieve, pressing on the solids, into a clean soup pot and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Turn off the heat and stir in the heavy cream. Taste and season with salt and pepper. To serve, ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with the chopped mint.

Yellow Tomato Gazpacho with Avocado Salsa

This soup is a beautiful way to show off ripe Yellow Taxi tomatoes, but if you can’t find them, substitute any truly ripe, in-season tomato. This recipe makes a jumbo batch of gazpacho. Take some to the picnic in a thermos or other leakproof container and save the rest for another day.

For the soup:

• 5 lb. Yellow Taxi tomatoes or other ripe yellow or red heirloom tomatoes, cored and cut into chunks
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 English or regular cucumber (about 3/4 lb.), peeled, seeded if necessary, and cut into large pieces
• 1 medium yellow bell pepper, seeded and cut into large pieces
• 1 small red onion, cut into large pieces
• 1/2 small hot red chile (or to taste), seeded and cut into large pieces
• 1/2 cup red-wine vinegar
• 3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• Kosher salt and ground white pepper

For the garnish:

• Avocado Salsa
• 6 each red and yellow cherry tomatoes, cut in half

Make the soup:

Working in batches, purée the tomatoes, garlic, cucumber, yellow pepper, onion, chile, vinegar, and olive oil in a blender until smooth. Strain the mixture through a fine sieve into a bowl. Press on the solids with a wooden spoon in order to extract as much liquid as possible; discard the solids. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Refrigerate in an airtight container for at least 2 hours or up to two days.

To serve:

Taste the soup and adjust the seasonings. Spoon 2 generous Tbs. of the avocado salsa in the center of each soup bowl. Pour or ladle the gazpacho over the salsa and garnish with the cherry tomato halves.

Grilled Yellow Tomato Bisque

This bisque can be made up to two days in advance. Although the yellow color is quite charming, red tomatoes can be substituted.

• 8 large ripe yellow tomatoes (about 3-1/2 lb. total)
• 1 Tbs. olive oil
• 1 medium-size red onion, chopped
• 1 qt. homemade or low-salt chicken broth
• 1 tsp. granulated sugar
• 1 cup heavy cream
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh mint

Prepare a grill by adjusting the grill grate so that it’s 4 to 5 inches from the flame or heat source. Heat a gas grill to high and a charcoal grill to medium hot (the coals should be covered with light ash, and you should be able to hold your hand just over the grate for no more than 3 seconds). Put the whole tomatoes on the grate and grill, turning occasionally, until the skins crack and begin to blacken in some parts and the tomatoes soften, 7 to 9 minutes over charcoal, 12 to 15 minutes on a gas grill. Take them off the grill, core them, and coarsely chop them.

Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 7 minutes. Stir in the chopped tomatoes, chicken broth, and sugar. Increase the heat, bring to a boil, turn the heat to medium, and simmer until the soup is reduced by one quarter, about 20 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes.

In a blender, purée the soup in batches until smooth, 2 to 3 minutes per batch. Strain through a fine sieve, pressing on the solids, into a clean soup pot and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Turn off the heat and stir in the heavy cream. Taste and season with salt and pepper. To serve, ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with the chopped mint.