Rosie Makes Tomato Soup.

 

 

Weather - cool, cloudy.  

Tomato soup requested.

And thus, it is so. 

 

Maybe I should do 

whole recipe in haiku. 

That would be a kick. 

 

At the beginning,

We have our ingredients. 

And so we embark.

 

 

 

Nothing like soup on a gray, cloudy, cold, rainy day.  It's like a hug for your stomach.  Mr. Hawthorne has been jonesin' for some tomato soup lately, so that's what we're having today.

 

Rosie's Tomato Soup 

2 TB unsalted butter 

1 onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced 

1 14.5 oz. can chopped tomatoes

2 fresh tomatoes, peeled and chopped (Not really necessary, but I had them on the counter and they begged to go into the pot, so they did.) 

1 cup chicken stock 

1/2 tsp kosher salt

scant TB sugar

1 tsp freshly ground pepper

1/4 cup chopped basil

1/2 cup cream

grated Parmesan Reggiano cheese 

basil chiffonade  (A chiffonade is a French technique for cutting basil. Stack the leaves on each other, roll the pile up lengthwise like a doobie, and make thin slices across.  You end up with long curls of basil.)

 

 

Rosie Note:  I have to admit I used boxed stock.  Didn't have time to chase down one of the chickens in the backyard, wring her head off, and throw into the stock pot. But by all means, you go ahead.

 

In a medium pot, heat 2 TB butter over medium heat until bubbly and foamy.  Add onion and sauté 2-3 minutes until softened.  Add in the garlic and sauté for a minute.  Always be careful not to burn garlic; it gets bitter.  

Add in the can of chopped tomatoes.  I happened to have 2 tomatoes sitting on the counter that were looking at me longingly, so I peeled and threw them into the pot.  Add salt, sugar, and pepper.  Sugar tames the acidity of the tomatoes.  Bring to a boil and reduce to simmer. Add in the 1/2 cup basil. Partially cover and cook over low heat for 10 minutes.   

Purée the tomato soup.  I use an immersion blender. 

Add in the cream.   Heat through.

  Taste test and adjust for salt and/or pepper.

 

 

To serve, add basil chiffonade on top and sprinkle on some grated Parmesan-Reggiano cheese.

 And I like to have a nice grilled cheese sandwich on the side for dipping.

 

                                         Now for the step-by-steps:

 

    

My mise-en-place.

Get everything ready so all you have to do is reach out and grab it,

not have to go tearing through a pantry or cabinet only to find it's not there. 

Chopped onion into the foamy butter.

Then the garlic.

Pour in the can of tomatoes.

I used Muir Glen.

                                               Add in the chopped fresh tomatoes.

                                                    Add in the chicken stock.

                                                     A good bit of pepper.

                                              Some sugar.  Balances the acidity of the 'maters.

                                                                Basil.

 

                                                            Immersion blender.

                                                            Handy little gadget. 

                     If you don't have one, ladle a little bit of soup into a blender.

  

                Don't fill it full of hot soup, then try to purée it. You'll have a mess. 

 

                                        Blend it until you get the consistency you like.

                                           I like my purée/chunky.  

                                            The best of both worlds.

                                                          

Add a little cream for enrichment.

Immersion blend some more.

                                                                    Et voila!