Creamless Creamy Tomato Soupcooks Illustrated Recipes

CREAMLESS CREAMY TOMATO SOUP(COOK'S ILLUSTRATED)

Steps:

• Heat 2 tablespoons oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add onion, garlic, red pepper flakes, and bay leaf. Cook, stirring frequently, until onion is translucent, 3 to 5 minutes.
• Stir in tomatoes and their juice. Using a potato masher, mash until no pieces bigger than 2 inches remain. Stir in sugar and bread; bring soup to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until bread is completely saturated and starts to break down, about 5 minutes. Remove bay leaf and discard.
• Transfer half of soup to a blender, add 1tablespoon olive oil and process until soup is smooth and creamy, 2 to 3 minutes. Be extra careful when putting hot liquids in the blender. Never fill past 2/3 of the way full, and put a dish towel over the top just in case to protect your hands from getting burned by any hot liquid splashing up. Transfer to a large bowl and repeat with remaining soup and oil.
• Rinse out Dutch oven and return soup to pot. Stir in chicken broth and brandy. Return soup to a boil and season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Sprinkle each portion with pepper and chives and drizzle with olive oil. Serve (of course) with grilled cheese sandwiches.

CREAMY TOMATO SOUP (NO CREAM)

Steps:

• Heat oil in a Dutch oven or heavy stockpot over medium-low heat; cook and stir onion and garlic in hot oil until tender, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes to onion mixture, crushing with a potato masher. Stir bread, basil, and brown sugar into tomato mixture and simmer until bread is completely saturated and starts to break down, about 10 minutes.
• Pour tomato mixture into a blender no more than half full; add butter. Cover and hold lid down; pulse a few times before leaving on to blend. Puree in batches until smooth. Return pureed soup to Dutch oven over medium heat; add broth and simmer until heated through, about 5 minutes. Season soup with salt and pepper.