Ultimate Cream of Tomato Soup

(from cokerlj’s recipe box)

Haven’t tried.

Source: America's Test Kitchen (from RecipeThing user home4edu)

Categories: Soup

Ingredients

  • 2- 28oz. cans of whole tomatoes packed in juice (need 3 cups of its juice)
  • 1-1/2 TBSP brown sugar, packed
  • 3/4 cups shallots, minced
  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter
  • 1 TBSP tomato paste
  • Pinch of allspice (“tip of the paring knife measurement)
  • 2 TBSP all-purpose flour
  • 1-3/4 cup chicken broth
  • 1/2 cup of heavy cream
  • 2 TBSP brandy, sherry or cognac. (optional)
  • Salt to taste
  • Little pinch of cayenne pepper

Directions

  1. Technique Takeaways:

  2. •Removing the seeds and pulp of the tomato and roasting the flesh of the tomato with brown sugar will produce a similar, but better taste than sundried tomatoes.

  3. •Use reserved tomato juice.

  4. •Blend solids with just a small amount of liquid for velvety texture.

  5. Preheat oven to 450°F.

  6. Line a baking sheet with foil.

  7. Drain tomatoes into a bowl over a metal sieve. We’ll be using that tomato juice.

  8. Over the sieve, break open each tomato with your hands and remove any seeds from its flesh.

  9. Lay each tomato flat in a single layer onto the lined baking sheet.

  10. Using a flexible spatula or spoon, push the tomato pulp in the sieve through, into the bowl.

  11. Reserve 3 cups of the tomato juice from the bowl.

  12. Sprinkle brown sugar evenly over the top of the tomatoes on the baking sheet.

  13. Place baking sheet in the oven on the upper middle rack. Bake for 30 minutes

  14. Over medium heat, add butter to a sauce pan. Melt until it is just foaming.

  15. Add shallots, tomato paste and allspice to the melted butter.

  16. Mix well, put a lid on it and turn down the heat to low.

  17. Cook until the shallots have softened, 7-10 minutes.

  18. Add flour, mix well and cook for about 30 seconds to lose its raw flour taste.

  19. Using a whisk, slowly whisk in your chicken broth.

  20. Add in your reserved tomato juice.

  21. Add tomatoes and any of their sticky roasted bits. Stir.

  22. Cover with a lid, raise heat to medium and bring back up to a simmer.

  23. Once at a simmer, lower heat to low again.

  24. Simmer for 10 minutes.

  25. Strain soup over a metal sieve into a bowl to reserve the liquid again.

  26. Transfer tomato solids into a blender, add 1 cup of the reserved tomato liquid and blend until nice and smooth, about 1 minute.

  27. In the meantime, rinse out your sauce pan. We’re putting the soup back into its pot.

  28. Add blender mix to the pot and the reserved liquid.

  29. Add cream and mix well.

  30. Heat over low heat until it is just rewarmed through, about 3 minutes.

  31. Turn off burner. Add brandy and mix.

  32. Taste for seasoning. Add salt to taste and cayenne pepper.

  33. Serve with bread, crackers or a grilled cheese sandwich.

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