Tasty Tuesday

 It's been cool here and mom decided to make soup - Cream of Tomato Soup!  She discovered a new chef on the PBS channel that she really likes.   His show is George Hirsch Lifestyle and he makes the most delicious foodables and makes everything look so easy.

George’s Creamy Tomato Soup

Makes 6-8 servings

5 large ripe San Marzano Plum tomatoes, deseeded and chopped

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil 

1 medium sweet onion, chopped

6 cloves garlic, chopped

2 Tablespoons sweet butter

2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour

2-4 fresh basil leaves, torn into small pieces

2- 15 ounce cans of crushed San Marzano tomatoes

4 cups chicken broth

2 bay leaves

1/2 teaspoon each dried thyme, basil

hot sauce, sea salt, and pepper to taste

Optional: 1 cup half-and-half 

Preheat a large 4-quart soup pot.

Add olive oil, onion, garlic, and fresh plum tomatoes. Stir and sweat for 5 minutes over medium heat. Add the butter, and when melted, add the flour, stir, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Add in the canned San Marzano tomatoes, stir, and simmer for 5 minutes. 

Add the chicken broth, bay leaves, thyme, and dried basil, and simmer for 5 minutes.

Add fresh basil and simmer for five additional minutes. 

Remove bay leaves and take the soup off the stove. For a creamier soup, use a food pulser and puree slightly, leaving a few chunks of tomatoes. Return to the stove and bring it back to a boil, and add the optional half-and-half. 

Lower heat and simmer for 2 minutes.  

Add hot sauce, sea salt, and fresh ground black pepper to taste.

Served topped with crunchy croutons and a few drops of olive oil.

Mom's recipe is very similar and she does add the cream and she normally serves it with Ritz crackers but she liked the idea of croutons so that's what she went with.

Chef George was right.  The croutons are really good in the tomato soup!

Happy Tuesday!

Love ya lots♥

Molly