Homemade soup is so different from the canned variety. I have eaten my share of canned soups over the years, but lately in my quest to eliminate as much processing as I can in our food, I have been making my own. Here is the most basic of soup recipes, cream of tomato. It has great flavor and while it has a rich, homemade taste, there is a nice lightness to it. If you have access to fresh tomatoes, by all means, use them. But the high quality and low processing available in canned tomatoes makes them an easy and flavorful choice. Served on its own with a topping of homemade croutons and slivers of fresh basil, or alongside a grilled cheese sandwich, this is a classic for lunch or dinner that never goes out of style.
Cream of Tomato Soup
Serves 4
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 medium yellow onion, coarsely chopped
2 28-ounce containers chopped tomatoes with their juice (I use Pomi)
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 cup heavy cream
Homemade croutons and fresh sliced basil for garnish
Preparation:
In a saucepan, melt the butter and add the onions. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are soft and translucent, but not browned, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add the tomatoes and bring the mixture to a boil. Lower the heat to a simmer, cover and cook for 45 minutes.
Remove the pan from the heat. Working in batches, puree the soup in a blender and return it to the pan. (Note: if you have an immersion blender, use it here—makes quick work of pureeing the soup in the pan.)
Season the soup with salt, add the cream and warm. Taste to correct the seasoning and serve.
Homemade croutons: rip day old bread (sourdough is wonderful) into bite size pieces (2 cups makes a nice batch) and sauté in a mixture of 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter until they are crisp and golden brown. Remove to paper towels, salt and pepper and let stand until cooled. Store in a tin or a resealable plastic bag until ready to use.