Last week I went to the Amish Farmers Market and bought a ton of tomatoes. I love tomatoes and have been making anything and everything with them. I used to not like tomato soup, then I liked it only with grilled cheese, now I love tomato soup! It’s funny as we get older our tastes change. I’ve been wanting to make tomato soup on my own and not go to that can stuff. I saw this recipe in my beloved, signed, Ina Garten cookbook. I knew I had to make this and I’m glad I did. This went great with grilled cheese!
I made a few changes, one was by adding more heavy cream. The basil flavor is very strong and the consistency wasn’t where I wanted it, the extra cream did it. (I made the adjustments in the recipe below) The other thing I did different was pureed it in a food processor. I do not have a food mill, like the recipe calls for. Pureeing it in the food processor and then straining it worked fine. I would love to get a food mill, but till then this method works.
Creamy Fresh Tomato and Basil Soup
- 3 tablespoons good olive oil
- 1 1/2 cups chopped red onions (2 onions)
- 2 carrots, unpeeled and chopped
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic (3 cloves)
- 4 pounds vine-ripened tomatoes, coarsely chopped (5 large)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1/4 cup packed chopped fresh basil leaves, plus julienned basil leaves, for garnish
- 3 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium-low heat. Add the onions and carrots and saute for about 10 minutes, until very tender. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, sugar, tomato paste, basil, chicken stock, salt, and pepper and stir well. Bring the soup to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer, uncovered, for 30 to 40 minutes, until the tomatoes are very tender.
- Add the cream to the soup and process it through a food mill into a bowl, discarding only the dry pulp that’s left. (Alternative method, puree in food processor or blender then strain through fine mesh strainer) Reheat the soup over low heat just until hot and serve with julienned basil leaves
Adapted from: Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics
Gina Marie's Kitchen 