Tomato soup

[John Treder]

I have this tomato tree that's burgeoning. I'm thinking I want to make tomato soup for supper next week sometime. And I want something that isn't just red or pink stuff that you could put in a mug and drink.
I'm thinking I'll make some regular soup, and then poach some tomato slices in it. Has anyone tried something like that? A handy how-to guide for dummies?

John

[Jenise]

John, if you are talking about using Campbell's soup as your base, haven't done that but can't imagine that it wouldn't improve on the original. What I'd be more likely to advise you to do is combine your fresh tomatoes with canned tomatoes, add butter, salt, sugar, lots of black pepper and milk, and cook that for a good half hour or so and then puree--make your own tomato soup.

[John Treder]

I was planning to make my own soup puree, then add some slices and poach them. Plain tomato soup, even homemade, is just sort of blah.

[Fred Sipe]

Perhaps roast the tomatoes along with some onions and garlic with a good amount of olive oil and S&P first prior to the puree soup part to intensify the flavor. A little Worcestershire and anchovy might liven it up and add some lip smacking goodness to the mix And wouldn't a sprinkle of gremolata be good on tomato soup? Gotta try that...

[John Treder]

Good idea, Fred!

[Fred Sipe]

I'm going to make this one tonight and substitute roasted garlic for the powder and a whole poblano for the half jalapeno.

http://steamykitchen.com/14010-roasted-tomato-soup.html

With the obligatory grilled cheese w/sharp cheddar and dijon.

[Jenise]

I was planning to make my own soup puree, then add some slices and poach them. Plain tomato soup, even homemade, is just sort of blah.

Not mine!

[Karen/NoCA]

Golly, mine is not blah either. I always roast the veggies; tomatoes, deep red bell peppers, red jalapeño, a head of garlic. and onion. I also add the half-sharp paprika or smoked. I do not want it tasting like marinara sauce. It has to be served with a grilled cheese sandwich, preferably an English sharp white cheddar. The Amish Paste tomato, Cherokee Purple, along with a variety of cherry types makes a nice soup.

[John Treder]

Well, the only homemade tomato soup I can remember was Grandma's, and it had tomatoes with a little onion and quite a lot of celery. "To thicken it up," she said.

I never had a doubt that tomato soup could have more substance, but a cursory Google showed mostly recipes that looked like Grandma's. Ergo, my post here!

John

[Jenise]

I make mine more as a bisque, somewhat more opaque than a straight tomato soup but not heavily so (2% milk). Seasoning with lots of pepper and sometimes tarragon gives a broad-spectrum of flavor, and sometimes we garnish it with crumbled blue cheese. But that's only to make it different; it's plenty exciting enough on its own.

[John Treder]

Tomorrow's the day. We shall see what we shall see. (Another Grandma saying.)

John

[Bob Sisak]

I found a great recipe on www.saveur.com for French Tomato Soup about a year ago and have made it many, many times since. You simmer chopped tomatoes, onions, potatoes and garlic with thyme and parsley in water (I use chicken stock) for about 30 mins. Then run it through a food mill, add creme fraiche and season to taste. Delicious!

[Karen/NoCA]

I made my tomato soup this morning. I checked the recipe offered by Steamy Kitchen posted above, and mine is similar in that I roast the tomatoes, onions, fresh garlic, red bell peppers, red jalapeño, then throw it in the blender. I add salt, pepper, smoked paprika, a little half-sharp paprika and that is it. Pure and delicious tomato soup. The Amish Paste tomatoes and the addition of a variety of the cherry types made for a thicker soup. I added some home made chicken broth, no cream or anything else. It is very tasty, and the fresh tomato flavor shines.

[John Treder]

I made it and it was good!
Sauteed some onion and garlic, added chopped fresh Early Girl tomatoes (the ugliest ripe ones) and some oregano leaves, and stewed for about 20 minutes. Chilled for a while and pureed it with a hand blender.
Then I put it in a pan and warmed it up, adding a good bit of chopped basil, the tomato rounds, and some chopped pieces of the rest of that tomato, a goodly amount of pepper. Simmered very slowly for 10 minutes while I was making the cheese sandwich. Locally made goat's milk cheddar.
The wine was 2005 Hawkes Merlot, Alexander valley. Good soup, good wine.

John