Chilled Fennel Gazpacho - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 1/2 lbs tomatoes, ripe
1 fennel bulb, large
1 teaspoon salt, coarse
3/4 teaspoon coriander seed
1/2 teaspoon peppercorn, mixed colors
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
3/4 teaspoon fresh oregano, chopped
1 teaspoon tomato paste

Preparation

skin tomatoes, and chop roughly.
trim the green frons away from the fennel (and save them for a garnish).
cut the bulb into quarters.
trim away a little of the central stem at the base and slice the fennel into thin slices.
place these in a saucepan with a little salt and measure 2 cups of water.
bring to a simmer, cover, and simmer gently for 10 minutes.
meanwhile, crush the coriander seeds and peppercorns (in a mortar & pestle) heat oil in large saucepan and add crushed spices, along with chopped onion.
let these cook gently for 5 minutes, then add the garlic and cook another 2 minutes.
add balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, tomatoes, and oregano.
stir well, and add fennel (and the water).
finally stir in the tomato paste, and bring everything to a simmer.
simmer gently, uncovered for about 30 minutes.
after simmering, puree till smooth. let cool, cover, and chill for several hours.
garnish with fennel fronds.