9/17/09

Martha's Fresh Tomato Soup with Parmesan Chive Croutons












My sweet friend Melanie gave me a big box of tomatoes fresh out of her garden yesterday! Joy! Happiness! More tomato toast! More BLT's! Now I can pretend it's still summer, and enjoy these gems. I had this tomato soup a few years ago at a Recipe Club dinner and loved it. It takes about 10 minutes to make. I'm sharing my modified version. I cut the amount of cream and butter, so I could eat this for lunch without feeling guilty. Gilt. It's really a four letter word isn't it?? If you leave the "u" out. Anyway. I made this and it seemed to be missing something - I know I just said I left out some of the cream and butter. No, it needed a yummy crouton. I froze a few extra pieces of french bread I made a couple of weeks ago, so I pulled that out of the freezer, sliced it up (frozen) and threw it into a pan. Yummalicious. Thanks Mel.




Martha's Fresh Tomato Soup
adapted from Martha Stewart

3 Tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 medium onions, chopped
4 cloves garlic
1/2 cup white cooking wine, or white grape juice
8 cups chopped tomatoes, skins left on
1-2 teaspoons kosher salt
1-2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
1 cup fresh basil, chopped
1/4 cup cream

Melt butter in stock pot. Add chopped onion and garlic, cook for about 5 minutes, or until soft. Add wine or grape juice, tomatoes, salt, pepper and basil. Cook for another 5 minutes. Cool for about 5 minutes add cream if desired. Blend soup in batches using blender*until all soup is smooth. Return to stockpot, add cream and heat just until warmed through. Serve with croutons.
Yield: 4-5 large bowls


Parmesan Chive Croutons

bread 2-3 slices
olive oil
grated parmesan
fresh chives,chopped (I used garlic chives)
kosher salt
pepper

Cut up 2-3 pieces of bread, preferably a dense and crusty bread. I used leftover french, and it was still yummy.
Heat a non stick skillet using medium high heat. Add about 3-4 tablespoons olive oil. Toss bread in pan and cook for about 3-4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle generously with grated parmesan, toss and add chopped chives. Remove from heat and let cool. Top soup with croutons. This can also be cooked in the oven at 350 degrees for about 10-15 minutes or until browned. To cook in oven: toss all ingredients and place on foil lined cookie sheet, bake as directed.


Tips:
-The original recipe called for 6 tablespoons butter and no olive oil. I like this lighter version better. If you really want to cut fat, leave out the butter altogether and just use 3 tablespoons of the olive oil (total). I tasted the soup before adding the cream (1/4 cup, cut down from original 1/2 cup) and thought it was really good without the cream addition too.
-*If you have a hand held immersion blender (read about it here)- there is no need to let the soup cool before blending up, also no need to transfer out of the stock pot. Just add the cream to the pot after blending.

10 comments:

  1. Okay, so where is my friend to give me a bag full of tomatoes? Maybe I shouldn't have killed the ones I tried to grow eh? This looks mighty delicious!

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  2. okay, one more thing. did YOU add the grape juice or the vino? Cause I personally have been convinced its okay, but which did you do? but I still hide mine from my mother in law when she comes over :)

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  3. Ms. Brooke, I used Cooking Wine! If a 16 year old can sell it to me at the grocery, I should be able to use it without guilt. Right?? :)

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  4. Thanks for commenting on my blog! It's looks like we have very similar tastes because I'm loving everything on your blog. Can't wait to try out this soup with my garden heirloom tomatoes!

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  5. This soup was delish! In fact I am now going to make some croutons and have the leftovers for lunch. Brandon tried to destroy your bowl, but I wouldn't let him. He said, but what if someone sees it in our fridge! Glad I could help with this wonderful recipe.

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  6. Oh, yum~ This looks so perfect for fall!

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  7. Gosh I love soup and this looks divine! The name is perfect too!

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  8. What a delightfully pretty, happy and upbeat blog. Can't wait to try the soup - and the French toast recipes. Lucky me that I happened upon you!

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  9. Ok so I guess I am dense Si but you added the basil with the tomatoes, salt and pepper before you blended, right? I've got masses of basil in back and need to use some up!

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  10. Mamalar- Sorry that wasn't very clear. I adjusted the recipe. Throw the basil in before blending. Thanks to all for the comments. Happy cooking!

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