The kitchen has always been the center of our house – it is the room where people congregate, talk about their day and spend time together. Growing up, my house was always filled with the smell of cooking - homemade pasta, roasted garlic, fresh baked bread, and my grandmother's wanton soup. We baked our own cakes for birthdays, pies at Thanksgiving, and gingerbread for Christmas. Nothing brings a family together like the smell of food cooking and a good meal on the table. A favorite recipe can be so much more than just a plate of food – it is a warm hug at the end of the day, a memory from your childhood, and the heart of every family tradition. It defines who we are.
Now that I am older and have my own family (Sean – 4 years; Ryan – 8 months), fostering a healthy diet and making mealtimes fun has a whole new meaning. For a long time, the only reasonably healthy thing our four year old would eat was peanut butter and jelly – and he would take an hour to eat one small sandwich. Dinner time became a battle. My husband and I would rush through our meals, inhaling our food so that we’d have our hands free to feed our children. I felt like a short-order cook, preparing a different meal for everyone at the table. We’re making an effort to slow down, to enjoy our food, to enjoy each other, to talk and listen, as well as to eat.
My husband, Pete, has a thing for tomatoes. No matter what I cook or how tasty it is, to him, it will always be better if you add tomato. So when I found this recipe from Ina Garten’s “Barefoot Contessa: Back to Basics,” I knew it would be a hit at home. The key to cooking simple yet flavorful food is to find the best fresh ingredients, harvested when they are in season and at their peak. We are fortunate to live within walking distance of two weekly farmer’s office that offer locally grown produce, artisan breads and cheeses and meats from our neighborhood butcher. All the way home, I could smell the fresh scent of these locally grown beauties wafting up from the bag. The recipe itself is cinch and fast to prepare – sauté red onions, carrots (which really bring out the flavor of the tomatoes), and a generous amount of garlic. Dump in the tomatoes, basil, and a few other ingredients and in no time you have a zesty soup that is perfect served either hot or cold. The original recipe called for adding ¾ cups of cream – but you do not need it and I did not include it here.
Even my eight-month old son loved this, and I hope you do too!
Fresh Tomato Soup
Ingredients
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 red onions, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
4 pounds tomatoes, coarsely chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1/4 cup packed chopped fresh basil leaves, plus julienned basil leaves, for garnish
3 cups chicken stock
1 tablespoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
Directions
In a large stock-pot or dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and carrots and cook, stirring frequently, until tender. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant - about 1 minute. Add the remaining ingredients and stir well. Bring the soup to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer until the tomatoes are tender (about 30-40 minutes). Puree the soup on a food processor or blender, and strain (if desired). You can serve the soup hot with julienned basil leaves as a garnish, but it is equally good cold.
Dori,
ReplyDeleteDo you think I can substitute the chicken stock with just vegetable stock, or would I have to add something to the vegetable stock in order to make it work?
- Derek
I think you could absolutely substitute vegetable stock for chicken stock. You could also try to make your own stock, which will always up the flavor of the soup. Try the recipe below.
ReplyDeleteIngredients:
* 1 gallon cold water
* 1 medium onion, peeled and chopped
* 1 medium leek (white and green parts), rinsed and chopped
* 1 medium rib celery, chopped
* 1 medium carrot, peeled and chopped
* ½ medium turnip, chopped
* ½ small tomato, chopped
* 3 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
* 2 Tbsp vegetable oil
* -------- For Sachet: (see note) --------
* 1 bay leaf
* ½ tsp dried thyme
* 3-4 fresh parsley stems
* 3-4 whole black peppercorns
* 1 whole clove
Preparation:
1. Make a sachet d'epices by tying the thyme, peppercorns, clove, parsley stems and bay leaf into a piece of cheesecloth.
2. In a heavy-bottomed stock pot or soup pot, heat the oil over medium heat.
3. Lower the heat, add all the vegetables and sweat, with the lid on, for about 5 minutes or until the onions are softened and slightly translucent. Don't brown the vegetables, though.
4. Add the water and the sachet, bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer. Simmer for 30-45 minutes.
5. Strain, cool and refrigerate.
Makes 1 gallon of stock.
That's fantastic. Big thanks for the recipe!
ReplyDelete- Derek