Tomato Soup

Legend goes that my mom got this recipe from one of my dad's co-workers probably about 2 decades ago.  It is a bit "labor intensive" as my mom says and only worth doing when tomatoes are at their peak-usually around this time of year.  As such, my dad has always expressed his opinion that it "tastes like fall".  There is something about the combination of flavors that really does taste like fall-or maybe that's just the association.  It freezes very well, so you can taste fall well into winter-if it lasts that long.  I left my mom's very useful notes at the bottom.  Since she has made the soup for so many years I think she has it perfected.

Tomato Soup

3/4 Cup butter

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 large onion thinly sliced

2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme or 1/2 tsp dried thyme

2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil or 1 tsp dried basil

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

3 pounds ripe tomatoes seeded and cut in a rough dice*

3 tablespoons tomato paste

1/4 cup flour

4 cups chicken broth (use 2 cans or (1)  1 quart container)

1 teaspoon sugar

1 cup heavy cream

Heat one half cup of the butter with the olive oil in a heavy kettle.  Add the onion and cook until onion is tender but not browned.

Add the thyme, basil, salt, pepper, tomatoes and tomato paste.  Simmer 10 minutes.

Mix flour with half of the broth and stir into the tomato mixture.  Cook to blend then add the rest of the broth and cook 30 minutes, stirring frequently.

Pass the mixture through the finest blade of a food mill or through a fine sieve.  (you can certainly blend it or put it in a food processor)  Reheat and stir in the sugar and cream.  Do not boil.   Swirl in the remaining butter.

*If you cut the tomatoes crosswise in half you can squeeze out the seeds and just dice the remainder.  Very important to squeeze out the seeds if you are going to blend the soup.  You don’t have to get all of the seeds but most. 

Notes:

Since tomatoes vary so much in taste, I usually hold off on how much cream to add, typically only 1/2 cup is enough and I almost never add the extra 1/4 cup of butter.  Also if the tomatoes are not very acidic I might add 1-2 teaspoons of a good white wine vinegar to add complexity.  You just have to taste it to know.

Lentil Soup

This recipe is from my mom, who is the best cook I know. Even if lentil soup doesn't sound appealing to you, try this one because it will change your mind. It's easy, fast, flavorful and cheap. When my son was starting solids, it was one of the only foods he would eat! * My mom doesn't always measure exactly, so many of these ingredients and to taste. You just have to try it. However, this is what she gave me and this is how I make it and it's always really great.

Ingredients:

2 cups of lentils (one pound package) I like Goya Brand

be sure to wash them---swish them in a bowl of water and then drain in a sieve

1 to 1 1/2 cups chopped onion (or a combination of shallots, and leeks and onions)

Onions are what I usually use. Leeks etc. are if I want to be creative or I want to use up some odds and ends of veggies.

3 or 4 chopped garlic cloves (can add some whole garlic cloves into boiling mix if you want, too)

2 medium carrots peeled and trimmed and sliced or diced

1 large or 2 medium celery stalks diced including leaves

1 or 2 bay leaves

8-10 cups of chicken broth

3 tbs. olive oil

Saute onions and celery and carrots in oil over medium to low heat until veggies are softened. Add garlic and saute one or two minutes more.

Add Chicken broth and lentils bring to a boil and cook for about 30 minutes or until the lentils are tender.

Add about 1/4 cup of chopped parsley.

Can add three or four sliced scallions including some of the green part

Salt and pepper to taste

I always add a splash of olive oil onto the finished soup for brightness and flavor.

To make this extra yummy do the following:

Mix two tablespoons of soft butter with two tablespoons of flour into a soft paste. Stir the mix into the boiling lentils in spoonfuls stirring to incorporate. (This is called a beurre manie’ meaning kneaded butter.) It can be incorporated into a boiling liquid very easily and serves as a thickener. Just be sure to simmer for another 3 or 4 minutes to take away the raw taste of the flour. It is what I did when I heated up the soup in your apt the first time.

Variations: You can add some canned chopped tomatoes as part of the liquid or add a tablespoon of tomato paste. You can cook some elbow macaroni or rice to add to the finished soup. Serve as is or stir some spinach leaves into the hot soup. Can add a splash of vinegar or lemon juice.

And I read one recipe that adds ground cumin and some chili powder.