Crayfish Gazpacho Soup

Village Corner Bistro, Carmel

Serves 4

10 vine-ripened tomatoes
1 zucchini
1 yellow squash
1 cucumber
1 red bell pepper
1 shallot
1 egg yolk
4 tablespoons olive tapenade
5/8 lb soft mozzarella cheese
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1 drop tobacco
4 basil leaves
1 bunch chives
salt and pepper to taste
16 crayfish ( cooked), 4 reserved whole for garnish and the rest shelled

Gazpacho Preparation
1. Dice half the red bell pepper and the shallot and place in the blender along with olive oil and yolk.
2. Add five tomatoes concassé ( skin removed and seeded), tabasco, and salt and pepper to taste.
3. Purée and refrigerate.
4. Peel and seed one tomato and dice into small cubes.
5. Dice the zucchini, yellow squash, cucumber and the half red bell pepper to small cubes as well.
6. Briefly blanch the vegetables in boiling salted water for two minutes and refresh them in ice water.
7. Peel the other four tomatoes, cut off their tops, hollow them out and bake for 20 minutes at 250 degrees.
8. Mix the cheese with cream and olive tapenade (pureed black olives with la little garlic, anchovies, capers, and olive oil), the chives and salt and pepper.
9. Fold in the cooked crayfish meat.
10. Julienne the basil and add to the blanched vegetable with a drop of olive oil, salt and pepper.

To Serve:
Stuff the baked tomatoes half way with the tapenade-cheese mixture, add the diced vegetables and put on the tomato tops.