Serves 6
Making your own tomato soup from canned tomatoes is a revelation. It's just a million times better than canned soup. San Marzano tomatoes, grown near Naples, are pulpy and a beautiful red color. They have the best taste, but use what you've got. Canned varieties come many ways, some in tomato sauce. If you have tomatoes in their own juices, use those. Saute an onion, then add the tomatoes and stock, simmer, and puree. If you have fresh basil, oregano, marjoram, or thyme, add some to the pot with the tomatoes. The accompaniment, of course, is a grilled cheese sandwich. In trying times, go with comfort.
| 2 | tablespoons olive oil |
| 1 | small onion, chopped |
| 2 | cans (28 ounces each) imported tomatoes in their own juices, crushed in a bowl. |
| 1 | cup chicken or vegetable stock |
| Salt and black pepper, to taste | |
| ¼ | teaspoon crushed red pepper |
| ½ | teaspoon sugar |
1. In a soup pot over medium heat, heat the oil. Add the onion and cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes.
2. Add the tomatoes, stock, salt, black pepper, red pepper, and sugar. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and set on the cover askew. Simmer for 15 minutes.
3. In a blender, puree the soup in batches, pouring the puree into a bowl. Return the puree to the pot and taste for seasoning. Add more salt, red pepper, or sugar, if you like. Reheat the soup until it is bubbling at the edges. Ladle into bowls.
Sheryl Julian
Serves 6
Making your own tomato soup from canned tomatoes is a revelation. It's just a million times better than canned soup. San Marzano tomatoes, grown near Naples, are pulpy and a beautiful red color. They have the best taste, but use what you've got. Canned varieties come many ways, some in tomato sauce. If you have tomatoes in their own juices, use those. Saute an onion, then add the tomatoes and stock, simmer, and puree. If you have fresh basil, oregano, marjoram, or thyme, add some to the pot with the tomatoes. The accompaniment, of course, is a grilled cheese sandwich. In trying times, go with comfort.
| 2 | tablespoons olive oil |
| 1 | small onion, chopped |
| 2 | cans (28 ounces each) imported tomatoes in their own juices, crushed in a bowl. |
| 1 | cup chicken or vegetable stock |
| Salt and black pepper, to taste | |
| ¼ | teaspoon crushed red pepper |
| ½ | teaspoon sugar |
1. In a soup pot over medium heat, heat the oil. Add the onion and cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes.
2. Add the tomatoes, stock, salt, black pepper, red pepper, and sugar. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and set on the cover askew. Simmer for 15 minutes.
3. In a blender, puree the soup in batches, pouring the puree into a bowl. Return the puree to the pot and taste for seasoning. Add more salt, red pepper, or sugar, if you like. Reheat the soup until it is bubbling at the edges. Ladle into bowls.
Sheryl Julian can be reached at sheryl.julian@globe.com.