Tomato Soup
Our garden is producing an overabundance of tomatoes early this year. We are already busy dehydrating many of them and eating the rest as fast as we can. (For hints on dehydrating tomatoes, see the September 2011 newsletter.) I also have a favorite tomato soup that is so easy to make that there is usually a pot of this cooking at least once a week. It doesn't have to be eaten as a soup, it can also be used over pasta or potatoes, or whole grains (try stirring a couple of cups of cooked rice into the soup) or polenta. The possibilities are endless.
Serves: Varies
Prep Time: 20 min
Cook Time: 20 min
Ingredients
Directions
1 Place the onion and garlic in a large pot with the water. Cook, stirring frequently until onions and garlic soften and begin to smell fragrant, adding more water as necessary until they are quite soft. Add the tomatoes and broth and bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for about 15 minutes. Puree with an immersion blender, taste and add a bit of salt and pepper, if necessary. For a thinner soup-like consistency add a bit more vegetable broth, if necessary. (The consistency of the soup will depend a lot on how you prepare the tomatoes.) Serve with your choice of fresh herb for garnish.
Hints: To prepare the tomatoes, place them in a large bowl fitted with a colander and peel with a serrated peeler, chopping and seeding as you prepare each one. This will be messy, but does not take much time. Add the tomatoes to the pot, leaving most of the seeds behind. I usually strain the seeds from the juices and also add the juice to the pot, so I may use less of the vegetable broth depending on how juicy the tomatoes are.
