November 9, 2009
Roasted tomato basil soup
The first time I had this soup was in Amsterdam. Paul was there on business, I was there for pleasure.
Well, not necessarily this soup, but it was tomato soup like I’d never tasted. Thick, rich and best of all, with a dollop of creme fraiche hiding at the bottom of the bowl.
Then when I saw Ina Garten make this recipe I knew it had to be close–and it was.
Ingredients are simple: tomatoes, chicken stock, onions, garlic and basil, lots of fresh basil. The secret is roasting the tomatoes first, just to bring out the flavor.
Meanwhile, this soup starts like most others with a couple of onions chopped and sauteed in butter. Once the tomatoes are ready, combine everything together in a Dutch oven and simmer. I think I made it for about thirty minutes before getting antsy. Last, the whole thing gets blended, processed or pureed with one of those special hand blenders (which I received as a gift from Jen last year…but runs on American voltage so it’s in the “save for the States” cupboard for now.) In the meantime there’s plenty of soup to savor.
Roasted Tomato Basil Soup
by Ina Garten
Ingredients
- 3 pounds ripe plum tomatoes, cut in half
- 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons good olive oil
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
- 2 cups chopped yellow onions (2 onions)
- 6 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 (28-ounce) canned plum tomatoes, with their juice
- 4 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
- 1 quart chicken stock or water
Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Toss together the tomatoes, 1/4 cup olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread the tomatoes in 1 layer on a baking sheet and roast for 45 minutes.
In an 8-quart stockpot over medium heat, saute the onions and garlic with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, the butter, and red pepper flakes for 10 minutes, until the onions start to brown. Add the canned tomatoes, basil, thyme, and chicken stock. Add the oven-roasted tomatoes, including the liquid on the baking sheet. Bring to a boil and simmer uncovered for 40 minutes. Pass through a food mill fitted with the coarsest blade. Taste for seasonings. Serve hot or cold.
More ideas from trusted kitchens elsewhere…
- Sweet potato curry in-a-hurry (A Way to Garden)
- White bean and onion soup for the jet-lagged (Serve It Forth)
November 5, 2009
It was cold for a while
Now it isn’t.
The first cold snap of the season hit a couple of weeks ago. A refreshing change after our first sticky summer but a small problem in regards to timing. The heat in our buildings, like those in New York City, is regulated centrally. This means, the powers that be are only obligated to turn on the expensive oil heat as the local laws dictate. In our case, our landlord explained, it’s mid-November.
But don’t worry. We have heaters, hats…and the Sirocco winds.
Our newer, warmer, windier weather is attributed to the Siroccos, “a Mediterranean wind that comes from the Sahara” says Wikipedia–and Paul’s Italian teacher. In fact, the hot sun had returned with such a force that T-shirts were back in, for a while.
Now we’re enjoying more common fall weather. A little rain, a little wind, a sweater will do. Perfect for November.
Especially since they turned on our heat early this year. Yesterday.
October 28, 2009
Driving to the leaves
Autumn is here, which means the hot sun has been replaced by clear, crisp and refreshing weather. In fact we had a cold snap last week which prompted the beginning of a new phase for Phoebe: hats.
So, GPS locked and loaded, we headed out for beautiful Abruzzo National Park, a couple of hours outside of Rome. There we found hills, valleys and yes, leaves. Lots of them.
***
Another interesting twist were the number of small towns nestled right inside the park. Opi was one of the most charming.
Though it seemed that two of its residents might be more interested in life in Rome.
Sorry guys.
The only deterrent was the rain. Honestly we had such a nice day that we didn’t even notice when it finally let up…on our way home.
October 23, 2009
Limoncello update
Paul took the next step.
Now that the zest has fully saturated the alcohol with lemony goodness, it was time to strain and add sugar for homemade limoncello.
***
But since this was his first batch, a little experimentation was in order. Eight different versions were prepared, each with a unique ratio of simple syrup (sugar melted in water), creating eight different tastes.
All delicious. Strong, but delicious.
October 21, 2009
Skype you on Sunday
It’s hard to stay close when there’s an ocean between you and your grandparents but Skype video helps. Every weekend we try to get online with at least one grandma, calling either Washington or Florida. Sometimes there is a hat involved.
http://romereport.wordpress.com/2009/06/08/grandmas-visit/
