It was a relatively mellow Sunday around here this weekend. There was the freezing of Darth Vader and his light sabers, some colorful watercolor interpretations of Black Eyed Peas' "I Gotta Feelin,'" and some general laziness which is sometimes required on a Sunday afternoon. For lunch we had a late summer creamy heirlooom tomato soup with some crispy, cheddar grilled cheese sandwiches that also hit the spot. It was so good, it made me commit to preserving as many tomatoes as I can next summer. I used the Oaxacan Jewel variety which gives the soup it's bright orange color. But make no mistake, it's as full of tomato flavor as you can stand. Of course, if there are no heirlooms left, any good, in-season variety works perfectly too.
Creamy Heirloom Tomato Soup
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
4 lbs. heirloom (or other in-season variety) tomatoes, peeled* and sliced in half with stems removed
3/4 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
A fresh sprig or two of thyme, oregano or rosemary
1 medium sized yellow onion, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
2 medium sized carrots, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 1/2 cups vegetable stock
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped
3/4 cup heavy cream
To peel the tomatoes, bring a few cups of water to boil in a a large pot. Cut a shallow X at the bottom of each tomato. Place the tomatoes into the boiling water for about 30 seconds. Remove tomatoes and place them in a bowl of ice water. The peels should slide right off. Place sliced tomatoes on a baking sheet. Cover with most of the olive oil (reserving 2 TBSP or so), and the salt and pepper. Place in a 400 degree oven for 30 minutes to roast.
Halfway through the roasting, melt the butter and remaining olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium-low heat. Add onion, celery, carrots, and garlic and cook until the vegetables begin to get soft (15 minutes or so). When the tomatoes are done, add those to the pot (removing the sprigs of herbs), along with the stock. Simmer on low until the vegetables are all tender (another 15 minutes or so).
Puree the soup either with a blender or an immersion blender. Once pureed, add cream and basil.
