Soup Weather

 Winter has finally arrived in Virginia so it is perfect soup weather.

First up this week is Tomato Soup - this is the easiest soup to make that you'll never open a can of tomato soup again.

Tomato Soup with Croutons and Goat Cheese

Saute Veggies

Simmer away pre-immersion

Ingredients:

1 large can whole tomatoes

1 can tomato sauce

1/2 can tomato paste

3 celery stalks - chopped

3 carrots - peeled and chopped

white onion - peeled and chopped

1 clove garlic - chopped and smashed with salt

4 cups chicken stock

Fresh Basil or Garden Gourmet Basil Paste - to taste

Salt & Pepper to taste

Saute chopped celery, carrots and onion in olive oil till soft, add in garlic and cook 1 minute. Add tomatoes, sauce and paste, I use kitchen shears to cut tomatoes in half while in the pot, bring mixture to boil. Heat chicken stock and add to veggie mixture. Bring pot to boil, if you are using the basil paste, add now, fresh basil needs to be added to at the last fifteen minutes of simmering. Simmer for 45 minutes to hour, this will help thicken your soup. I salt my veggies as I sauté, and keep tasting the soup during simmer to judge if it needs more salt. You can also add red pepper flakes to give it a kick.

To make croutons use any hard bread, I decided on ciabatta bread, cut bread into large chunks, toss in olive oil and salt & pepper, bake 425 for 15 minutes or until hard but not browned.

Possible add-ons:

Goat Cheese

Ricotta Cheese

Shredded sharp cheese

Bacon

Spring Onions

Polenta

The list can go on and on, the possibilities are endless when it comes to tomato soup.

Until Next Time

Forks Up