Classic Cream of Tomato Soup

Classic Cream of Tomato Soup

I’m definitely blogging this recipe, since this is where I catalogue  all my favourite recipes. This soup starts with a base of bacon so it’s unlike cream of tomato soup as we know it.  It sounded unusual to me at first,  but bacon and tomato is a classic combination so I went ahead and made  it and continue to make it often. It’s delish, I tell you.  This soup’s  got a smoky and savoury richness that you don’t usually find in vegetarian versions of this soup.

Gather your ingredients and make a pot of this soup– it’ll be a great warm-up soup  for a hurricane, eh?

*Note: I leave the cream out and just add a dollop in each bowl as I serve it – that way if there are any lactose issues, you can sub in yogurt or other kind of cream.  This soup freezes really well without the cream.

Classic Cream of Tomato Soup

adapted from Saveur Magazine, October 2012

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

4-5 slices of bacon, diced

2 tbsp butter

4 cloves of garlic, finely diced

1 medium onion, diced

1 medium carrot, diced

3 tbsp tomato paste

1/2 tsp smoked paprika (optional)

1 tbsp flour (or other starch if you are gluten free)

4 cups chicken stock

2 sprigs of thyme (or 1/2 tsp dried)

1 bay leaf

2 cups canned crushed tomatoes (I used San Marzano) OR 3 cups crushed fresh tomatoes

sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

1/4 cup 35% cream (or leave out and add yogurt/your choice of cream when serving)

Instructions:

In large saucepan over medium-high heat, saute bacon, adjusting your heat so as not to let it get charred and overcooked….you want it cooked until just about crisp.  Over medium heat, add butter then onions and carrot.  Cook, stirring frequently until softened, about 7-8  minutes.  Add garlic, smoked paprika and tomato paste and cook, stirring until it’s slightly caramelized.  Sprinkle in flour and stir for one minute.  Add tomatoes, stock, thyme and bay leaf.  Increase heat and bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for about 30 minutes.  Remove bay leaf. Puree.  Add cream, stir. Serve with fresh herbs (thyme or chives) if available. Enjoy!

Slice bacon, chop onion, garlic and carrot.

Add butter, onion and carrot after sauteeing bacon until almost crisp.

Add garlic, smoked paprika and tomato paste, and cook until carmelized, about 3 minutes.

Remove bay leaf after cooking soup for about 30 minutes.

Puree soup with handheld blender until smooth

Drizzle with yogurt or cream. YUM