Fire Roasted Tomato Bisque

As you know, over the weekend I made my Tex Mex Tuna Melt Panini. When I think of patty melts, I think of grilled cheese, and what goes better with grilled cheese than tomato soup.  I’m ashamed to admit this, but, until now, my version of tomato soup required 2 simple steps: opening a can and heating it. This time, I decided to get a little more adventurous and make my own. Actually, this recipe is not that much more difficult than my go-to version; it still requires opening up cans and heating, but the final result has that distinct “made with love” homemade taste. The inclusion of aromatic ingredients such as garlic, celery and onion add even more depth. Instead of using plain diced tomatoes, I chose fire-roasted. Fire-roasted tomatoes have that subtle smoky flavor that I thought would pair so well with Tex Mex. To give it a slightly thicker “bisque” texture, I added some tomato paste, flour and heavy cream. Heartier than a soup, yet not chunky like a chowder, because you blend the ingredients for a smooth finish. From start to end, this bisque was on the table in less than 30 minutes, proof that you can be enjoying a steaming bowl of hot soup in almost the same amount of time it takes to pop a pre-made one in the microwave. And the taste? There’s just no comparison. Soup is the best homemade meal anyone can make: feeds the body and nurtures the soul!

Note: I doubled the recipe, which would easily feed 8, so if you are looking for smaller “cup-size” portions, then cut the recipe in half. During the cooking process, I ended up transferring my bisque from a large saucepan to a Dutch oven, because it made more than I had originally planned on. But, that’s okay, soup never goes to waste in this house.Chop onion and celery. Mince garlic. Chop basil. Drain tomatoes.
 

In a large saucepan, melt 4 Tablespoons of butter. Add the chopped onion, celery and garlic. Cover and cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until vegetables just start to brown, about 5 minutes. 

Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables. Reduce heat to medium-low and stir for 1 minute, or until flour is fully incorporated. Add the chicken stock, tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar and basil. Increase heat to medium. Bring to a boil. Cover partially and continue cooking over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes.

Transfer soup, in small batches, to a blender and puree until smooth. If you’ve had any success with an immersion blender, you can use that. You would think that being a kitchen gadget guru that I would own an immersion blender. Actually, I did, but after 2 disastrous attempts, I tossed it. Even on the lowest setting, my kitchen walls, counter and ceiling resembled a Jackson Pollock painting when I was done. Splatter everywhere. (Also, I was not comfortable with the steel blades, as all my cookware has a non-stick finish.) Needless to say, I quickly reverted back to my old stand blender. But, even with a stand blender, you still risk a kitchen nightmare if you try to overfill it. I strongly advise, filling the blender only half-way when pureeing (even if you have to blend in 4 batches, like I did).

 

Return the pureed soup to the saucepan. Add the heavy cream. Cook just until the soup is heated through. Season to taste with salt and white pepper. Stir in the remaining butter.

Ladle the soup into bowls. Garnish with croutons and serve.

 
FIRE ROASTED TOMATO BISQUE
Source: Adapted from Food & Wine Magazine
Posted by: www.meldingmagic.com

INGREDIENTS:

• 6 Tablespoons butter, divided
• 2/3 cup finely chopped onion
• 1/2 cup finely chopped celery
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 6 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 8 cups chicken stock (or substitute low-sodium broth)
• 4 (14.5 ounce) cans diced fire roasted tomatoes, drained
• 1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 2 Tablespoons chopped basil
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• Salt and freshly ground white pepper (or substitute black pepper)
• Garlic or cheese croutons, for garnish (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a large saucepan, melt 4 Tablespoons of butter. Add the chopped onion, celery and garlic. Cover
    and cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until vegetables just start to brown, about 5
    minutes.
2. Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables. Reduce heat to medium-low and stir for 1 minute, or until flour
    is fully incorporated. Add the chicken stock, tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar and basil. Increase heat to
    medium. Bring to a boil. Cover partially and continue cooking over medium heat, stirring occasionally,
    until vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes.
3. Transfer soup, in small batches, to a blender and puree until smooth. (Or, use an immersion blender,
    if you prefer.)
4. Return the pureed soup to the saucepan. Add the heavy cream. Cook just until the soup is heated
    through. Season to taste with salt and white pepper. Stir in the remaining butter.
5. Ladle the soup into bowls. Garnish with croutons and serve.