Posted by: Kim_Hamilton on 11/05/2009 10:49 PM
Updated by: Kim_Hamilton on 11/09/2009 11:01 PM
Expires: 01/01/2014 12:00 AM
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"Creamy Tomato Soup with Garlic Croutons"~by Jenny Baxter of Jenny's Kitchen
The last of the summer jewels, tomatoes, have been picked and you are left with a mountain of vine-ripened tomatoes. They have been baked, broiled, grilled, stewed and eaten raw. They have put them into salads, sandwiches and sauces. But you just couldn’t bring yourself to make soup simply because you did not want summer to end. And with the beautiful autumn weather we have been experiencing who would? Well, “times they are a changing!” I even saw a little frost on my neighbor’s roof when I woke up this morning. And with the dark of night arriving so early, the “firewood for sale” signs .....
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everywhere you look, and the air conditioner set to off, it is officially the beginning of soup season! These treasured beauties can be preserved at their peak of freshness by either drying or freezing to give you the taste of summer all year long as you prepare a great pot of tomato soup. Here is one of my favorite recipes. And by preparing a side of garlic croutons to sprinkle over the soup, you have “kicked this comfort food up a notch,” as Emeril would say.
Cream of Tomato Soup with Garlic Croutons
¼ cup Calaveras Lucca Olive Oil (very buttery tasting)
2 thinly sliced onions
1 diced carrot
6 toes minced garlic
4 lbs. chopped tomatoes (Italian Plum are best)
¼ cup julienne basil leaves
qt. chicken stock
Salt and cracked pepper to taste
2 cups whipping cream
Sauté the onions, garlic and carrots in the olive oil over medium heat until the vegetables are soft. Add the tomatoes and season with salt and cracked pepper. Cook about five minutes then add the stock, slowly bringing the soup to a boil. Reduce the heat, partially cover the pot and simmer for about 45 minutes. Puree the soup in the bowl of a food processor. Return the soup to the pot and add the cream making sure to heat thoroughly. Serves 8
Garlic Croutons
3 Tablespoons butter and Calaveras Lucca Olive Oil
3 cups of day old bread cut into ½ inch cubes
2 toes minced garlic
teaspoon minced fresh parsley and chives
3 Tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Heat the butter and oil in a large frying pan. Add the bread and cook over medium-high heat stirring constantly for about 4 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low Add the garlic and herbs and continue to cook for about 15 minutes until the bread is golden brown. Place the croutons in a small paper bag and add the cheese. Toss to coat. Sprinkle over the soup. These croutons can be stored in an airtight container once they have cooled.
Well, it’s thyme to go.
Jenny Baxter
Jenny’s kitchen
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