Lisas' Tomato Soup
Submitted by Bell
Creamy fresh tomato soup made from ripe tomatoes, basil, whole cloves, and brown sugar, pureed and finished with half-and-half and milk. Far better than anything from a can.
YIELD
4 servingsPREP
10 minCOOK
35 minREADY
45 minThis tomato soup starts with two pounds of fresh ripe tomatoes, not canned, not paste. Peeled, seeded, and coarsely chopped, they simmer with onion, basil, whole cloves, bay leaf, and a touch of brown sugar until completely broken down. Then everything gets pureed, strained, and finished with half-and-half and milk for a velvety, creamy bowl.
The straining step after blending is what makes this soup silky smooth. It catches any remaining seeds, skin fragments, and fibrous bits that the blender missed. The result is a soup with restaurant-quality texture from fresh ingredients.
Brown sugar balances the acidity of fresh tomatoes without making the soup sweet. The whole cloves add a warm, almost mysterious spice note that’s subtle but essential. You’ll know it’s missing if you leave them out.
Chef Tips
- Use the ripest tomatoes you can find. Peak-season summer tomatoes make this soup extraordinary. Off-season, Roma tomatoes are the most reliable choice.
- Remove the whole cloves and bay leaf before blending. Blended cloves will make the soup taste overwhelmingly spiced.
- Don’t boil after adding the cream and milk. Boiling causes the dairy to curdle and the soup to look broken.
- Blend in batches and hold a towel over the blender lid. Hot liquid expands and can blow the lid off.
Variations
- Roasted tomato: Roast the tomatoes cut-side down before simmering for a deeper, sweeter, caramelized flavor.
- Grilled cheese pairing: This is the soup that begs for a grilled cheese sandwich on the side.
- Chilled: Serve cold in summer as a creamy gazpacho-style soup with extra chives on top.
Ingredients
Directions
Peel, seed and coarsley chop tomatoes.
Set aside. In large saucepan cook the onion in butter until tender.
Add tomatoes, bay leaf, brown sugar, basil, cloves, salt and pepper.
Bring to a boil and cover. Simmer stirring occasionaly for 25 minutes or til tomatoes are thoroughly cooked.
Remove bay leaf and cloves and slightly cool.
Blend half the mixture in a food processor or blender, purée then strain.
Repeat with the other half.
Return to saucepan and add the milk and cream and heat until hot.
Don’t boil. Serve sprinkled with the fresh chives.
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