Recipe: Tomato Soup

[coraa]

This was dinner yesterday. Well, half of dinner: I wanted tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches, but my nostalgia soup (canned Campbells, and yes, judge me if you want) wasn't in the house. So with some help from Cooks Illustrated and some invention, I came up with this, which was ready in half an hour.

The herb I used was rosemary, because this time of year I have plenty of it. Another time of year I would use basil, or tarragon, or savory. If you're using one of those more delicate herbs, add it with the cream rather than before the heavy simmering.

Not a low-calorie tomato soup, but a lovely, comforting one.

Tomato Soup

Serves two.

• 1/2 yellow onion
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1/4 tsp allspice
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tbsp flour
• 2 14-oz cans diced or crushed tomatoes
• 1 cup water
• 1 tbsp minced fresh rosemary
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 2 tbsp sherry (optional)
• salt
• pepper

You will also need a blender (immersion if possible, standard will work).

Chop the onion fairly finely.

Find a pot big enough to hold a couple of quarts. Non-reactive is a good idea. Melt the butter in it until it's foaming, then add the minced onion, allspice, and tomato paste. Turn the heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft (5-10 minutes). Add the flour and stir to combine, then cook (stirring constantly) for a minute to take the raw edge off the flour taste.

Add the cans of tomatoes (juice included) and the water. Add the rosemary. Bring to a boil, then simmer 10 minutes.

Turn off the heat.

Puree the soup. If you have an immersion blender, just put it in the pot and use that. If you don't have an immersion blender, you'll need to blend the soup carefully in batches (since blending a lot of hot soup at once is a bad idea).

Stir in heavy cream and sherry (if using). Taste, and season with salt and pepper until it tastes good. Serve hot.

Comments

[meaghan_bullock]

Mmmmmm.

You know, sometimes the old standbys are the best. I love Campbell's canned tomato soup with a good grilled cheese sandwich (and, yeah, I'm a terrible foodie and like my grilled cheese with standard Kraft American slices. On white bread, and heavy on the butter. What can I say? It's what my mama made.)

I have, however, grudgingly come to accept Trader Joe's Tomato and Roasted Red Pepper Bisque. Also, the Safeway/Dominick's store brand tomato bisque is delicious.

[telophase.livejournal.com]

Mmmmm, Campbell's tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches. Comfort food heaven. (Toby's soup & sandwich comfort food is Campbell's chunky chicken soup and a grilled cheese sandwich with American cheese and peanut butter spread on top. Luckily we can indulge in our own preferences at the same time. XD)