Fresh Tomato Soup Ala Terri
Submitted by bubbles60
Fresh tomato soup with a bouquet garni of parsley, bay leaf, celery, thyme, and marjoram, pureed smooth with caramelized onion and a butter roux. Topped with sour cream and fresh dill.
YIELD
4 servingsPREP
20 minCOOK
40 minREADY
60 minFresh tomato soup the French way, built around a proper bouquet garni instead of a pinch of dried herbs tossed into the pot. The cheesecloth bundle of parsley, bay leaf, half a celery stalk, thyme, and fresh marjoram steeps in the soup like tea, contributing layered herbal depth without leaving leaves and stems in your bowl.
The technique matters as much as the ingredients. Caramelizing the onion in butter and oil first builds the savory base, then a butter-flour roux cooks to golden brown for body. Adding the chopped fresh tomatoes to the hot roux off the heat prevents the flour from clumping into raw lumps.
Fresh ripe tomatoes make this soup taste alive. Out-of-season tomatoes from the grocery store will give you something correct but flat, peak-summer garden tomatoes are what take this dish from good to remarkable. Peel them first with the boiling water dip, the skins don’t break down enough during the simmer.
A dollop of sour cream and a sprinkling of fresh dill at the table is the classic Russian-influenced finish that lifts the tomato flavor. The acid and herb brighten the rich pureed soup.
Pro Tips
- Drop tomatoes in boiling water for exactly 1 minute, then transfer to an ice bath. Skins slip right off after the shock.
- Cook the roux to golden brown but not darker. Burnt roux ruins the entire pot.
- Use a long string on the bouquet garni and tie it to the pot handle. Easy retrieval without fishing through hot soup.
- Cool the soup before blending, hot liquid in a blender can explode out the lid. Vent the lid or use an immersion blender.
Variations
- Stir in 1 cup of cooked rice instead of pureeing for a heartier, rustic texture.
- Add a tablespoon of tomato paste to the onions for deeper, more concentrated tomato flavor.
- Sub Greek yogurt for sour cream and basil for dill for a Mediterranean spin.
Ingredients
Directions
Bouquet Garni - In a piece of cheesecloth, tie the following: 3 to 4 sprigs of parsley, 1 bay leaf, ½ celery stalk with leaves, ½ teaspoon dry thyme and 1 teaspoon fresh marjoram.
Leave the string long enough to hang the garni in the pot and tie the string to the pot handle for easy removal.
Drop the tomatoes into boiling water for 1 minute.
Drain and peel.
Chop coarsely and reserve. In a large saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon of butter and oil.
Add the onion and cook over low heat until lightly browned.
Add the remaining butter. When the butter is melted, add the flour and cook until it is golden brown.
Be careful not to burn it! Add the chopped tomatoes stirring constantly.
Then add the boiling water, Bouquet Garni, salt and pepper. Cover and simmer the soup for 35 minutes.
Remove the soup from the heat. Remove the Bouquet.
Cool the soup and purée it in the blender. If it seems too thick, thin it out with a little chicken stock or water.
Serve the soup in individual bowls, each topped with 1 tablespoon sour cream and a sprinkling of dill.
Notes: For a hearty soup, omit the sour cream and substitute cooked rice.
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