Tomato Bisque

A friend mentioned the best tomato bisque soup she ever had was served at a local restaurant in Pennsylvania. Their site featured the recipe, so I had to try it.  I make homemade soup every week to have on hand for appetizers, lunches and light dinners, so am always looking for something new to try.

I discovered "Bisque" is a term for a richly seasoned, creamy, thick pureed soup normally made using shellfish, but can also be made using vegetables.

Another tomato soup I often make is Tomato Blue Cheese, especially when my garden is producing summer tomatoes. But if fresh tomatoes aren't available, canned tomatoes work well enough.

This offers a hearty, flavorful soup -- it's a meal by itself. Most often, I serve it with a salad for dinner, or have by itself for lunch.

Tomato Bisque
The Brasserie’s (famous) Tomato Bisque with Croutons and Cheese
http://www.lancasterbrasserie.com/
16, 1/2- inch thick French bread Baguette slices (or store-bought croutons)
Olive Oil
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 large tomatoes, chopped
1 carrot, peeled and coarsely chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes with puree
3/4 cup tomato juice
3 Tabs. tomato paste
2 Tabs. golden brown sugar
1/4 tsp. white pepper
1/2 pound mushrooms, sliced
1/2 Tab. chopped fresh parsley
1/2 tsp. chopped fresh oregano
1/2 tsp. chopped fresh basil
1/2 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
1 cup whipping cream
2 cups chicken stock, or canned low salt broth
4 to 6 oz. Mozzarella cheese, shredded
Thin slices of Provolone cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place bread slices on heavy large cookie sheet. Brush both sides of bread with oil. Bake until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Cool.

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in heavy large saucepan over low heat. Add half of chopped tomatoes, all chopped carrots and celery and half of chopped onion; cook 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add garlic and saute 2 minutes. Mix in crushed tomatoes, tomato juice, tomato paste, sugar and pepper. Cover and cook over low heat 1-1/2 hours, stirring occasionally.

Cool tomato mixture slightly. Puree in batches in a blender or use an emulsion wand. Set puree aside. Melt remaining 1/4 cup butter in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add remaining chopped tomatoes, onion, mushrooms, parsley, oregano, basil and thyme and saute until vegetables are tender, about 8 minutes.
Mix in pureed tomatoes and cream. Soup will be thick. Add enough stock to thin to desired consistency. Cook until heated through, stirring frequently. Can be made a day ahead. Cover and refrigerate soup. Store croutons in a plastic bag at room temperature. Rewarm soup.

Preheat broiler. Ladle soup into 1 to 1-1/2 cup oven proof soup bowls. Top each with two baguette croutons, or several commercial croutons. Top with mozzarella and provolone cheese. Broil until soup bubbles and cheese melts, watching carefully, about 1 minute. Serve hot. Makes 8 -10 servings.

Estimated cost $7.20 or less; $.90 cents a serving or less.

Tomato Blue Cheese Soup

Tomato Soup with Grilled Cheese Sandwich

I planted a garden this year for the 2nd time in decades and must have a green thumb for growing tomatoes, as they're abundant! Thanks to Suptuoussoonfuls Blog for this idea on how to use tomatoes for a quick, freshly homemade tomato soup, using about a pound of tomatoes.

I tweaked it a bit adding extra garlic and also basil, as I grew an abundance of it, too. I did not peel the tomatoes, just rough chopped.

If not having fresh tomatoes, two cups of canned would also work well.  Of course summer and fall farmers markets offer fresh tomatoes, so pick up a few pounds if you have the opportunity.

The combination of a creamy tomato base and blue cheese is delightful, and a perfect meal by serving a classic grilled cheese sandwich alongside.

Tomato Blue Cheese Soup
1 Tab. extra virgin olive oil
1/2 of an onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
4 medium sized tomatoes, chopped., about 2 cups or 1-1/2 pounds
1 cup chicken or vegetable broth
1 cup fat-free half and half, or milk
salt and pepper to taste
3 Tabs. fresh basil
1/4 c. blue cheese crumbles or more to taste
Optional: Crumbles of bacon, fresh oregano or basil leaves for garnish.

In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, add onion and garlic. Saute until onion is translucent and soft, about 5 minutes.

Add chopped tomatoes and juices. Let cook for 5-10 minutes over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Add broth and half and half/or milk, salt and pepper and basil. Lower heat and simmer about 30 – 45 minutes. 

Put soup and blue cheese in the blender or use soup wand to blend until smooth. Don't worry too much about getting it perfectly smooth because some texture adds to the flavor when eating.  If you want it very smooth, blend it twice. Serve immediately, garnished with a bit of bacon and oregano or more basil if desired. Makes 4-6 servings.

Estimated cost with purchased tomatoes: $2.50 or less: .50 cents a serving or less. Much less with your own tomatoes!