Anyway, after having spent my last six autumn’s hating the drop in temperature this time of year, every year, I decided that 2011 was going to be different. This year I decided that I was actually going to find things about autumn & winter that I enjoyed. Case in point, a warm mug filled with soup on a chilly day. One great thing about autumn is the bounty of soups on offer. Bundling up on the couch with a mug full of warm broth-filled goodness that makes me feel safe and wrapped in love is one of life’s pleasures.
Today’s soup was a quick, Italian inspired tomato based work of art-about 40 minutes from start to finish with 30 minutes of that time used to simmer the soup. It’s great for when the wind has begun to kick up, or the rain begins to fall or you simply forgot to go to the grocery store on Saturday and you’re left to your own devices using pantry items to make a meal on Sunday (when the stores, are in fact closed). This soup is great as is but is even better with a pat of butter thrown in at the end, or a splash of heavy cream. I also like mine with a bit of grated parmesan on top for when I’m feeling fancy. I didn’t feel that way today, so I let the soup speak to me and draw me close with nothing more than its aroma.
Ingredients
2 cloves of garlic, minced
Olive oil or 1 part olive oil and 1 part butter
A handful of fresh basil leaves, chopped
1 teaspoon of dried oregano
A whole fresh red chili or a pinch of red pepper flakes
3 cans (400 g.) of tinned whole tomatoes, juice and all (the best ones you can find) Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Sea salt to taste
1 tablespoon of sugar (can also be left out if you’re sugar sensitive or on a low GI diet)
Red wine vinegar to taste (usually 1-2 tablespoons) optional
1 tablespoon of butter optional
Heavy cream to taste optional
Grated parmesan optional
Directions
1. Warm the olive oil or olive oil and butter in the bottom of a heavy pot or Dutch-oven set on med-low. Using part butter will give the soup a bit of a sweeter, creamier taste.
2. Add the garlic to the oil and cook about 5 minutes. The garlic should “fry” a bit but keep the pot on med-low so the garlic doesn’t burn. The garlic should cook very slow and you’ll see little bubbles around the edges of the garlic. If the garlic burns, start over again or the soup will be very bitter.
3. After the garlic has cooked for about 5 minutes, add the chopped basil, oregano and red chili/red pepper flakes, then stir the mixture. Cut a small slit in the red pepper before you add it to the pot so the chili doesn’t explode. Let the mixture in the pot cook for 3-5 minutes more.
4. Add the tomatoes and gently stir. Do not break up the tomatoes, or the soup will be bitter. Season with salt and black pepper.
5. Add the sugar and the red wine vinegar.
6. Bring the mixture to a boil, and then reduce to a simmer. Let the sauce simmer for 25 minutes then using a potato masher, crush the tomatoes. This can also be done with an immersion blender if you enjoy a smoother soup. Let the soup simmer for another 5 minutes and serve.
7. You can also add a tablespoon of butter and/or heavy cream at the end of cooking time to the pot to add some creaminess to the soup. Grated parmesan is also great as a garnish on top of the soup just before serving.
This post is for non-commercial, personal use only. Copyright ©2011 by Whitney @ Thanks For The Food.
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