Here in Louisiana we are justifiably proud of our Creole Tomatoes. They are big, red, meaty, and flavourful. Since the season for them is just now arriving, this tomato sorbet recipe is a different and refreshing way to enjoy them. If you have some tasty home-grown tomatoes or some you scored from the farmer's market, use them. Just remember, the wonderful flavour is destroyed if you refrigerate your tomatoes. I like to serve this as a salad or as a palate cleanser between courses.
Tomato Basil Sorbet

3 pounds vine-ripened tomatoes (6-8tomatoes)
1/2 shallot, finely diced
1 clove garlic, smashed and diced
1 cup red wine
1/4 cup very good olive oil, divided
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
3 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons 2x concentrated tomato paste (in a tube)
1/4 cup fresh basil, chiffonade leaves and reserve stems
1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/4 tsp. Tabasco pepper sauce
1/4 cup vodka*
1/2 pound grape or cherry tomatoes, halved

Method:
1. Slash an "X" in the bottom of each tomato and blanch and them in a large pot of boiling water for 1 minute. Remove them to a bowl of ice water to immediately stop the cooking.
2. Use 1 tablespoon of the olive oil to sweat the shallot, garlic, and salt. Do not let it brown. When the shallot and garlic are tender and translucent, add the wine, sugar, basil stems, pepper and sherry vinegar. Simmer until reduced by half.
3. Cut the tomatoes in half around their equator and remove the stem "belly button". Place a fine strainer across your work bowl and squeeze the seeds and surrounding jelly into it.drop the rest of the tomato into the bowl. Let the juice and tomato water drip into the bowl. It has a lot of flavour
4. Puree the tomato halves, tomato paste and vodka in a blender with the strained shallot, wine, garlic mixture and add the rest of the olive oil and the lemon juice. You will have between 4 and 5 cups total.
5. Chill the mixture in the fridge until very cold-at least 4 hours but overnight is best.
6. Freeze this cold tomato blend according to your ice cream churn's manufacturer's directions.
7. Sorbet will be soft-serve consistency and can be served now but will be better if you let it freeze hard in the freezer.
8 To serve, scoop onto a chiffonade of basil leaves, surround with halved cherry tomatoes and add an extra dash of olive oil.

* In sweet sorbet the sugar acts as antifreeze so that it doesn't freeze into a hard block. Since this has such a small amount of sugar another agent must be used. Alcohol will not freeze at the temperatures we are using so it makes a good antifreeze. This small amount won't get you buzzed. Remember, even vanilla extract is 70 proof!