MENU PLANNER : All Cool Food

Good ripe juicy tomatoes are just beginning to show up in the markets. One delicious use is fresh tomato soup. This version is low-fat and vegetarian; it’s made with vegetable broth, spices and fresh basil stirred in at the very end. Homemade Parmesan croutons add a great toasty crunch.

To make this menu work during warm summer days, bake the sourdough bread the day before early in the morning while it’s still cool.

On the morning of the dinner prepare the tomato soup and refrigerate. You can reheat the soup and serve it warm or, if the day is a scorcher, enjoy the soup cold or tepid. Save the basil and stir it into the soup just before serving.

Lemon snow is a lovely light airy custard-like dessert that holds well when prepared ahead. Just keep it in a cool spot. Serve with the fresh raspberry puree.

FRESH TOMATO SOUP

1 tablespoon butter

1 small onion, minced

2 cloves garlic, minced

3 pounds fresh tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped with juice or 3 (14 1/2-ounce) cans peeled diced tomatoes with juice

1 (14 1/2-ounce) can vegetable broth or about 2 cups homemade vegetable stock

2 teaspoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground celery seeds

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon white pepper

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

Parmesan Croutons

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* Melt butter in 4-quart sauce pot. Add onion and garlic and saute until tender. Stir in tomatoes with juice. Cover and simmer 15 minutes.

* Stir in vegetable broth, sugar, celery seeds, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Bring to boil, cover and simmer 5 minutes. Stir in basil at last minute. Serve with Parmesan Croutons.

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Makes 6 servings.

Each serving contains about:

107 calories; 964 mg sodium; 5 mg cholesterol; 4 grams fat; 18 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams protein; 1.75 grams fiber.

LEMON SNOW

4 cups flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

Sugar

1/3 cup egg substitute (equivalent to 1 1/2 eggs)

1 1/2 cups nonfat milk

1 tablespoon grated lemon zest

1/4 cup lemon juice

3 egg whites

1/2 pint raspberries

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* Sift together flour, salt and 1 cup sugar in mixing bowl. In separate bowl, blend together egg substitute, milk and lemon zest. Stir into dry ingredients along with lemon juice.

* Beat egg whites to soft peaks. Fold into lemon batter. Pour into 8x8-inch square baking pan lightly buttered or sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.

* Put baking pan in larger pan of hot water that reaches halfway up sides of baking pan. Bake at 325 degrees 35 to 45 minutes or until pudding is set in center. Remove from water bath. Let cool to room temperature.

* Pick out few berries for garnish and set aside. Puree remaining raspberries and 2 to 3 tablespoons sugar (vary amount according to sweetness of berries) together in food processor or blender. Strain. Spoon over lemon squares. Garnish with reserved berries.

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Makes 6 servings.

Each serving contains about:

494 calories; 179 mg sodium; 1 mg cholesterol; 1 gram fat; 108 grams carbohydrates; 14 grams protein; 1.01 grams fiber.

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SOURDOUGH BREAD, ROLLS AND PARMESAN CROUTONS

2 3/4 cups unbleached white bread flour

1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast

3/4 cup warm nonfat milk (105 to 115 degrees)

1 cup cake flour

2/3 cup warm water

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

2 tablespoons minced garlic

1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil

1 egg white, lightly beaten

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 1/2 teaspoons fennel seeds

1/4 teaspoon poppy seeds

1/4 teaspoons sesame seeds

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* To make sourdough starter, place 3/4 cup flour, yeast and warm milk in mixing bowl. Stir until blended. Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let stand several hours in warm place until starter doubles in volume. Stir down when ready to use.

* Combine prepared sourdough starter, cake flour, warm water, salt and enough of remaining 2 cups bread flour to make soft dough. Knead until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. Place dough in lightly oiled bowl, cover and let rise until double in size, about 1 hour.

* Saute garlic in olive oil until tender and lightly browned. Let cool.

* Punch dough down. Divide dough in half. Work sauteed garlic into 1 dough half, kneading until garlic is evenly incorporated. Shape into round loaf about 5 inches in diameter. Place loaf on lightly greased baking sheet.

* Divide remaining dough half into 4 parts. Shape into rolls. Place on baking sheet along with garlic loaf. Brush top and sides of bread and rolls with egg white. Sprinkle top of loaf with 1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese. Combine fennel seeds, poppy seeds and sesame seeds. Sprinkle seeds over top of rolls. Cover. Let rise until doubled.

* Bake at 400 degrees about 15 minutes for rolls and 20 minutes for loaf, or until golden brown. Remove to wire rack to cool. Rolls should be served warm.

* If bread is being used for homemade croutons, allow loaf to cool to room temperature before slicing. Slice bread into 1-inch slices. Cut slices in half horizontally then cut into cubes. Place croutons in single layer on jelly roll pan. Bake at 400 degrees 10 to 15 minutes or until golden brown around edges. Toss with remaining Parmesan cheese before serving.

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Makes 4 rolls and 1 (6-serving) loaf or 4 rolls and 6 servings for croutons.

Each of 4 rolls contains about:

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233 calories; 470 mg sodium; 1 mg cholesterol; 3 grams fat; 44 grams carbohydrates; 8 grams protein; 0.35 gram fiber.

Each of 6 loaf servings contains about:

141 calories; 322 mg sodium; 1 mg cholesterol; 1 gram fat; 28 grams carbohydrates; 5 grams protein; 0.10 gram fiber.

Each of 6 crouton servings contains about:

290 calories; 682 mg sodium; 4 mg cholesterol; 2 grams fat; 56 grams carbohydrates; 10 grams protein; 0.19 gram fiber.

MENU

Fresh Tomato Soup

With Parmesan Croutons

Sourdough Bread

Lemon Snow With Raspberry Sauce

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GAME PLAN

1 day ahead: Make rolls and croutons.

Morning of dinner: Prepare soup. Prepare lemon pudding and raspberry sauce.

10 minutes before dinner: Reheat dinner rolls and soup. Stir in basil. Last Minute: Spoon soup into serving bowls. Sprinkle with croutons. Put hot rolls in basket.

After entree: Spoon lemon pudding into dessert dishes and top with raspberry sauce.

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STAPLES

Butter

1 small onion

Garlic

Sugar

Celery seeds

Nutmeg

Salt

White pepper

Flour

4 eggs

Olive oil

Fennel seeds

Poppy seeds

Sesame seeds

Sugar

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SHOPPING LIST

3 pounds fresh ripe tomatoes, or 3 (14 1/2-ounce) cans peeled diced tomatoes

1 (14 1/2-ounce) can vegetable broth, or about 2 cups homemade stock

1 bunch fresh basil

1 package active dry yeast

1 quart nonfat milk

1 box cake flour

1 small bag unbleached white bread flour

1 wedge Parmesan cheese

1 (4-ounce) carton egg substitute (equivalent to 2 eggs)

1 lemon

1/2 pint raspberries