We come to the end of our soup recipes for the winter 2008/9 season.Each day, the sun creeps a little higher on the horizon--the sunsets are a lovely coppery orange glow. With the promised return of spring, soup season (while not necessarily over) is winding down.
Last week, I suggested that I should have posted a RED soup, in honor of Valentine's Day in case you missed the reference. Well, here it is today--I know, I know--a week late, but hold on to the recipe until next year. Or, consider it comfort food for now. What can be more comfort food than tomato soup.
INGREDIENTS
1/4 cup olive oil
10 garlic cloves, pressed (or very finely minced)
2 T. paprika
12 cups tomato juice (two 46 oz. cans)
2 cups water or homemade vegetable stock
1/2 cup dry sherry
3/4 lb. Fresh or frozen tortellini
HERBED CROUTONS:
6 cups small bread cubes pinch of dried thyme
3 T. olive oil pinch of dried marjoram
2 T. butter
1) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2) In a non-reactive soup pot, warm the olive oil. Add the garlic and sauté, stirring constantly, until sizzling golden, 1 to 2 minutes. Be careful not to burn the garlic!
3) Sprinkle in the paprika and cook for about 30 seconds more; be careful not to scorch the paprika or the soup will have a bitter flavor. Add the tomato juice, water or stock, and sherry. Cover the pot and bring the soup to a boil; then reduce the heat and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes.
4) While the soup simmers, make the croutons. Spread the bread cubes on an unoiled baking sheet and bake until crisp and dry, 10 to 15 minutes.
5) In a very small saucepan or in the microwave, heat the olive oil, butter, thyme, and marjoram until the butter has melted. Pour the herbed butter over the toasted bread cubes and toss to coat well. Let the croutons cool and crisp on the baking sheet.
6) Serve the soup topped with croutons, grated Parmesan, and parsley. Or for a different twist, add cooked tortellinis.
10 garlic cloves, pressed (or very finely minced)
2 T. paprika
12 cups tomato juice (two 46 oz. cans)
2 cups water or homemade vegetable stock
1/2 cup dry sherry
3/4 lb. Fresh or frozen tortellini
HERBED CROUTONS:
6 cups small bread cubes pinch of dried thyme
3 T. olive oil pinch of dried marjoram
2 T. butter
1) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2) In a non-reactive soup pot, warm the olive oil. Add the garlic and sauté, stirring constantly, until sizzling golden, 1 to 2 minutes. Be careful not to burn the garlic!
3) Sprinkle in the paprika and cook for about 30 seconds more; be careful not to scorch the paprika or the soup will have a bitter flavor. Add the tomato juice, water or stock, and sherry. Cover the pot and bring the soup to a boil; then reduce the heat and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes.
4) While the soup simmers, make the croutons. Spread the bread cubes on an unoiled baking sheet and bake until crisp and dry, 10 to 15 minutes.
5) In a very small saucepan or in the microwave, heat the olive oil, butter, thyme, and marjoram until the butter has melted. Pour the herbed butter over the toasted bread cubes and toss to coat well. Let the croutons cool and crisp on the baking sheet.
6) Serve the soup topped with croutons, grated Parmesan, and parsley. Or for a different twist, add cooked tortellinis.
While in our household, I am unlikely to make this recipe with the garlic (my husband has an aversion to garlic) I have eaten this soup, and enjoyed it.
High on our list of comfort foods are tomato soup and toasted cheese sandwiches.
What are some of your favorite comfort foods?
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8 comments:
Growing up my Mom mad a hotdish that she called "raw rice hotdish." It was browned hamburger with celery and onion, bean sprouts, raw/uncooked rice, soy sauce and cream of chicken soup. The whole thing baked for an hour. I just made it last week. Yumm.
Oh, I agree with you. Grilled cheese and tomato soup are the best.
Grilled cheese and tomato soup is at the top of my list. Your soup recipe sounds great - esp. with garlic added. We thrive on garlic here.
Next on my list of comfort food is (are you ready)? Mac & Cheese.
That sounds really yummy to me. There is a cafe here in town that has a signature Tomato Basil soup that is so wonderful. Hmmm.... wonder what we should have for lunch? :c)
Ice cream is absolutely my comfort food, but tomato soup is second. This looks like a good recipe.
I'll miss the Saturday soups.
Does this mean winter is over?! (as I go out to shovel 4 inches of fresh snow) My girls would eat anything with tortellini in it.
Yummy...one of my favorite meals on a winters eve is grilled cheese and tomato soup.
This does sound quite tasty. What is the flavor that dry sherry brings to it? I don't think I've ever used it in cooking.
I'm always a bit afraid when it comes to making tomato soup. The few times I've made it, it ended up tasting like I was eating spaghetti sauce with the addition of garlic and oregano!
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