Fresh Tomato Soup

First of the tomato recipes: tomato soup!  You probably associate tomato soup with grilled cheese and cooler weather, but this recipe is perfect for using up some summer tomatoes.  It's bursting with bright tomato flavor!

Fresh Tomato Soup

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cook time: 1 hour

Total time: 1 hour, 45 minutes

You can either peel and seed the tomatoes before you begin (directions here), or strain the blended soup at the end.  I did the first option, but I think the second is probably faster.  

Ingredients:

1 cup chopped carrots

1 cup chopped celery

1 1/2 cups diced onions

3 cloves garlic, minced

6 cups chopped fresh tomatoes 

1 TBS olive oil

1 cup water or stock (chicken or vegetable)

1 TBS kosher salt

1 tsp sugar

Directions:

1. Rough chop all vegetables to about the same size.  In a large soup pot, heat the olive oil.  Add in the carrots, celery, and onions and cook until the onions are translucent, about 10 minutes.  Add the garlic and cook another 5 minutes.  

2.  Add in the tomatoes and water/stock.  Allow to simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes break down and the carrots are soft.

3.  Allow to cool for 15 minutes.  In batches, pour the soup into a blender and blend until smooth.  Leave the extractable part of the top off and cover with a cloth to allow the steam out.  Otherwise, you are in for a fun explosion!  Alternatively, you can use an immersion blender, another of my favorite kitchen gadgets.  

4.  If you didn't peel and seed first, pour the soup through a strainer over a large bowl.