I found this recipe as I was scrambling to use our tomatoes once they finally decided to ripen and turn red. We made plenty salsa, tried our hand at spaghetti sauce and now, have tomato soup on our list of tomato recipes. It doesn’t taste a thing like canned, is pretty easy to put together and is thick, creamy and smooth. Enjoy with a grilled cheese sandwich or as a side for any meal.
Ingredients:
3 Tablespoons butter
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, sliced
2 pounds tomatoes
2-3 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tablespoon uncooked rice (the thickening agent for the soup)
1 sprig fresh thyme or basil
1 bay leaf
1 cup water
Salt and pepper to taste
Sweetener to taste (we used honey)
Add two of the three tablespoons of butter, the olive oil and the onion to a large pot. Cook until onions are soft and butter is melted. Add garlic and cook about two minutes more. Wash, core and quarter tomatoes. Place tomatoes, rice, basil or thyme, bay leaf and a large pinch of salt and pepper to the pot. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally until tomatoes are tender and fall apart easily. Add the water and the remaining one tablespoon of butter. Cook until rice is tender. Remove bay leaf and herbs. Place contents of pot in a blender and carefully mix (start slowly so soup doesn’t bubble out the top). Puree until desired thickness. Taste test and add additional salt, pepper and/or sweetener as needed. Strain soup through a sieve to remove any leftover seeds. Serve hot and garnish with fresh herbs and parmesan cheese if desired.
