Updated 11.18.2020
I’ve never been all that fond of tomato soup. This is probably because my first experience was Campbell’s. (No offense, Campbell’s.) It could also be because I didn’t eat a lot of tomatoes or vegetables in general when I was growing up. I find my taste buds have changed as I grew up and I eat vegetables more regularly now. I use the term regular loosely.
With Dad here we’ve been trying to eat foods that are better for you. This is a recipe Grandma Mo sent me. I’ve been sitting on this recipe for a while trying to find the right time to make it. Trying to introduce more veggies into my life seems like as good a time as any.
This recipe calls for a basil chiffonade. If you don’t know what basil chiffonade is, don’t worry. I had to Google it, too. I was actually a bit floored that the recipe didn’t clarify what basil chiffonade is. Turns out, it’s just a technique to cut basil in strips. This is what I learned from Google anyway. I still don’t understand why the recipe didn’t call for basil cut into thin strips instead of basil chiffonade, but … whatever. You can skip the basil altogether if, like me, you have all other ingredients for the soup besides basil and do not feel like going to the grocery store for a garnish.
I cut down the amount of heavy cream called for (two cups!) because it seemed highly unnecessary to add another cup after pouring in the first. The flavor of this soup was amazing. And this is coming from someone who, previous to this, thought of tomato soup as so-so. Even Dad said the soup may have been the best tomato soup he’s ever had. And I think he’s had a bit more tomato soup in his day than I have.
Note: To make vegetarian, substitute vegetable broth for chicken stock.
ingredients.
- 4 T. butter
- 4 carrots, peeled and chopped
- 1 large white onion, peeled and chopped
- 6 cloves of garlic, peeled and minced
- 3 28-oz can of whole plum tomatoes
- ¼ c. basil chiffonade (optional)
- ½ tsp. sugar
- 4 c. chicken stock
- ½ tsp. ground allspice
- 1 c. heavy whipping cream
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- additional cream and basil for garnish
directions.
- Melt butter in a large soup pot. Add onions, carrots and garlic. Cook over medium heat until onion is translucent, about 5 to 8 minutes.
- Add tomatoes and their juices, basil and sugar. Cook 5 minutes. Then add broth and allspice. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes.
- Puree soup in batches in a blender or food processor. Return to pot. Add cream, salt and pepper and heat through. Serve garnished with a little cream and some basil (if using).
Recipe rating:
Food Snob 