I had my seasonal love affair with tomatoes … months ago. And while the rest of country is enjoying farm-fresh tomatoes, I’ll have to wait until winter to enjoy the next Miami crop. In lieu of patience, I decided to satisfy a tomato-basil craving with this tomato soup recipe that uses canned tomatoes (roasted for extra flavor), fresh herbs, and heavy cream.
I’m glad I caved. I had a BIG bowl for dinner (sopped up with a hunk of olive bread) and am freezing leftovers for quick dinners in the coming weeks.
All-season Tomato Soup
28 ounces canned diced tomatoes
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup diced celery
1/2 cup diced carrot
1 cup diced onion
3 gloves garlic, chopped
3 sprigs thyme
2 cups vegetable broth or water
2 tablespoons butter
1/3 cup basil, packed
1/2 to 3/4 cup heavy cream
Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Preheat oven to 450° and position rack in the top third of the oven. Drain tomatoes, reserving liquid. Toss tomatoes in 1/4 cup oil, and spread onto a rimmed baking sheet. Place tomatoes in the oven for 10 minutes, until they begin to caramelize.
Meanwhile, heat remaining olive oil in a 4-quart pot and cook celery, carrots, onion, garlic, and thyme for 10 minutes. Add roasted tomatoes, reserved tomato liquid, vegetable broth, and butter. Bring soup to a boil, reduce heat to low, and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, until vegetables are tender.
Remove thyme sprigs. Stir in basil and cream, and puree with a hand blender to desired consistency. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot with a sprig of basil.
Serves 4