Creamy Tomato Soup Without the Cream
- Ready In:
- 15mins
- Ingredients:
- 12
- Serves:
-
6
ingredients
- 4 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped medium (about 1 cup)
- 3 medium garlic cloves, minced (or pressed through garlic press, about 1 tablespoon.)
- 1 pinch hot red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 (28 ounce) cans whole tomatoes (packed in tomatoe juice)
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
- 3 large slice good-quality whole wheat bread, crusts removed, torn into 1-inch pieces
- 2 cups low sodium chicken broth (fat free)
- 2 tablespoons brandy (optional)
- salt & fresh ground pepper, to taste
- 1⁄4 cup chopped fresh chives
directions
- Spray Dutch oven with cooking spray and heat 2 teaspoons oil over medium heat until shimmering.
- Add onion, garlic, red pepper flakes (if using), and bay leaf.
- Cook, stirring frequently, until onion is translucent, 3 to 5 minutes.
- Stir in tomatoes and their juice.
- Using potato masher, mash until no pieces bigger than 2 inches remain.
- Stir in sugar and bread; bring soup to boil.
- Reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until bread is completely saturated and starts to break down, about 5 minutes.
- Remove and discard bay leaf.
- Transfer half of soup to blender. (If half of the soup fills your blender by more than two-thirds, process the soup in three batches. You can also use an immersion blender to process the soup directly in the pot.).
- Add 1 teaspoon oil and process until soup is smooth and creamy, 2 to 3 minutes.
- Transfer to large bowl and repeat with remaining soup and oil.
- (For an even smoother soup, pass the pureed mixture through a fine-mesh strainer before stirring in the chicken broth.).
- Rinse out Dutch oven and return soup to pot and heat to a simmer.
- Stir in chicken broth and brandy (if using) and bring to a simmer.
- Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Serve soup in individual bowls.
- Sprinkle each portion with pepper and chives.
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RECIPE SUBMITTED BY
The picture above is of my daughter and me, taken about 35 years after the photo she posted on her Zaar page (WeBees); I’m the one in the goofy hat in her picture and she’s the one on the left in my picture.
Most of my pre-married life was spent in Northern California in the San Francisco Bay Area with all the wonderful produce, sea food and wines that the region offers. Five of my teenage years were spent in West Africa with my family (medical missionaries). On our way back to the US we traveled extensively throughout Europe and after marrying my Navy husband, we were moved to Asia. All this said because these travel experiences greatly influenced my interest in cooking and willingness to try new foods.
I’ve been with Zaar for about two years and have enjoyed trying new recipes and learning about the person who posted it. There are some crazy, wonderful and talented people out there, not to mention knowledgeable and gracious. It’s been great fun participating in the “Tag” and “Swap” games.
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<img src="http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q23/vseward/Bevy/officialmemberofthebevtaggame.jpg">
Like many other Zaarites, I’ve collected hundreds of cookbooks. My favorites are from places that I‘ve visited around the world as well as my first, given to me by my mother when I went off to college - “The Graham Kerr Cookbook” by the Galloping Gourmet. My oldest cookbook was given to me by my grandmother – “The Boston-School Cook Book” by Fannie Merritt Farmer circa 1896.
I’m an Interior Designer but also taught Weight Watchers for about twenty years. It’s tough loving to cook and bake and still keep at a healthy weight!