Cream of Tomato Soup

Yield 6

Pillar of Nutrition Eat the Rainbow

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Cream of Tomato Soup

This simple soup offers a bowlful of comfort

Ingredients

• 2 ½ tablespoons olive oil
• ½ cup celery, diced
• ½ cup yellow onion, diced
• Pinch of ground cloves
• 1 ½ teaspoons dried basil, crushed between fingers
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 2 (15 oz) cans tomatoes
• ⅛ teaspoon baking soda
• 1 ½ cups water
• 2 ½ teaspoons chicken powder
• ¾ cup whole milk
• ¾ cup cream
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt and black pepper to taste
• Tomato paste, if needed, to bolster flavor

Directions

1. Heat the oil in a soup pot over medium heat.
2. Add the celery, onion, cloves and basil.
3. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are limp, about 5 minutes.
4. Stir in the flour and cook, covered for a minute or so.
5. Dissolve the chicken powder in 1 cup of the water. Add this along with the tomatoes and baking soda..
6. Simmer, covered for 20 minutes, stirring often. If the mixture sticks, add a bit more water.
7. Let cool briefly then puree in a blender, in batches if necessary. Or use an immersion blender right in the soup pot until the mixture is smooth.
8. Add the milk and cream then taste and season with salt and pepper.
9. If the soup is too thick, thin with additional milk. If the flavor is weak, add a little tomato paste and stir well.
10. Reheat and serve piping hot, with a grinding of fresh pepper on each bowl.

Notes

Substitution and variations

• Try using all  cream instead of milk
• Have tomato paste in a tube on hand for ease in adding a small amount
• Use dried oregano or thyme in place of the basil

Something to Chew On

• What ingredients need to be organic in this recipe?
• Can you taste the cloves and basil in the soup?