Winter Tomato Soup With Crostini Recipes

WINTER TOMATO SOUP WITH CROSTINI

Steps:

• For the soup: In a large soup pot, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring, until the onions are softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the garlic cloves, carrot and pepper flakes, lower the heat, cover and cook until the vegetables are sweet and juicy but not browned, 15 to 20 minutes. Check, stirring occasionally, and add 1 tablespoon water if the vegetables appear dry. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, until the olive oil turns reddish orange, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes with their juice, the broth, orange zest, and sage and bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove pot from heat and discard the orange zest and sage. Puree the soup with an immersion blender (or, working in batches, in a regular blender or a food processor) until smooth. Season with salt and black pepper. Transfer to a saucepan and reheat before serving. For the crostini: Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. In a small bowl, use a fork to beat together the goat cheese, olive oil, thyme, lemon zest, and a few grinds of black pepper until smooth. Slice the baguette on the bias into four to six 1/3-inch-thick slices that are 2 to 3 inches long. Lay the slices in a single layer on a baking sheet and toast in the oven until crisp, 5 to 7 minutes. Spread the toasts with the goat cheese mixture. Ladle the soup into four bowls; float a crostini on each (I served the crostini on the side, as Justin is not a fan of soggy bread).

WINTERTIME TOMATO SOUP

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375 degrees. Drain tomatoes and reserve liquid. Halve them and put in a roasting pan; sprinkle with 2 tablespoons oil and the thyme, if using. Roast, turning once or twice, until lightly browned, about 30 minutes. Use wooden spoon to scrape up browned bits from pan, adding a little liquid if necessary.
• Put remaining olive oil in a deep skillet or medium saucepan over medium-high heat. When it's hot, add garlic and cook just until it begins to color, a minute or so. Add carrot and onion and cook, sprinkling with salt and pepper and stirring, for about 5 minutes. Stir in stock or water, along with contents of roasting pan and reserved tomato juice.
• Turn heat to high and bring soup to a boil, then lower heat so it bubbles gently. Cover and cook until vegetables are very tender, 20 to 30 minutes. Garnish with parsley and serve.

WINTER TOMATO SOUP

Steps:

• In a saucepan melt butter and add olive oil, onion, thyme, basil and salt and pepper.
• Cook, stirring, until onions wilt.
• Add tomatoes and tomato paste.
• Simmer 20 minutes.
• Blend together 5 T of the chicken broth with the flour.
• Add this to the soup, stir, then add rest of broth.
• Simmer 30 minutes, stirring often to prevent burning.
• Puree soup in blender.
• Return to heat.
• Add sugar and cream.
• Simmer 5 more minutes.