Fall Favorite

Homemade Tomato Soup

As I think back to my very recent childhood, no meal was more comforting than tomato soup and a grilled cheese sandwich. Salivating like Pavlov’s dogs at the very thought of it, I decided to take on the task of creating my own homemade version of this favorite classic. Conveniently, I also had a nice crop of tomatoes from the garden that were at risk of going bad if I didn’t use them. Here’s what I did:

-Washed and peeled 3lbs of Tomatoes (I used the dull side of a knife to loosen the skin and then peeled it easily away)

-Diced them, discarding the top, and put flesh, juice, and seeds into a large bowl

-In a soup pot I heated 2 Tbls of EVOO and half of an onion on medium heat until it was translucent

-I added the tomatoes, juice and seeds to the pot and let it simmer for 20min. I also added a few leaves of basil, which I plucked fresh from the garden and let them simmer as well

-I then carefully used a blender to puree the mixture. Poured the puree though a sieve and placed it back over low heat *It is much safer to use an immersion blender for this step. In a normal blender, hot steam can cause the top cover to lift off and burn the chef - - please use caution.

-Next I added a cup of 2% milk, along with salt and pepper to taste

-I returned the soup to simmer (about 8 min) and then enjoyed with oyster crackers

Don’t expect this soup to taste like Campbell’s, with no sugar or preservatives added the tomato’s rich flavor is able to shine though. Enjoy this one!