Soupruary 1st finally arrived, and so did my friends. After wondering whether anyone would want to participate in my little soupsperiment, I ended up deciding to double my recipe to ensure everyone had enough. The mood was festive, the stomachs were full, and everyone left happy. Many thanks to Josh, Matt & Seb for their hospitality, their wide array of bowls and spoons, and for cleaning up.
The penthouse, Northside, Cincinnati
Attendees:
Aileen, John, Josh, Kate, Kevin, Lauren, Mandy, Matt, Sebastien, Yusef, Me
Menu:
Roasted tomato basil soup
Grilled cheese sandwiches (havarti, cave-aged gruyere or medium cheddar with Irish butter on sourdough or French)
White sangria with kiwis, green apples, and green grapes
Deep dark salted butter caramel sauce on vanilla ice cream
An epic fail of a blood orange tart (had to transport when it was only half-frozen and the dough became too wet. So sad. Also sad for the penthouse oven).
Entertainment:
The Super (Souper?) Bowl, including Bruce Springsteen’s camera collision
Sebastien & Kevin laughfest ’09
The Soup:
Everyone seemed quite happy with the results of this one—even me! The flavors were bold and recognizable—it tastes exactly as you’d imagine it would taste. It was great with some goat cheese crumbled on top to melt in little joy pockets. This may not seem like the most impressive menu, but it’s something everyone will enjoy and the simplicity gives quality ingredients a chance to rock your pants off.
Adapted from Ina Garten
3 lbs plum tomatoes, halved
¼ c plus 2 T olive oil
1 T kosher salt
1 ½ t freshly ground black pepper
2 c chopped yellow onions (I used one large onion for a double recipe)
6 garlic cloves, minced
2 T unsalted butter
½ t crushed red pepper flakes
1 28-oz. can of plum tomatoes with their juice
4 c fresh basil leaves
1 t fresh thyme leaves
1 qt water
Toss the tomatoes with ¼ cup olive oil and the salt and pepper, then throw them in a 400 degree oven for 45 minutes.
In your soup pot over medium heat, sauté the onions, garlic and red pepper flakes in the butter and 2 T of olive oil until you get some color on your onions.
Add the canned tomatoes, basil, thyme, and water to the soup pot, then add your roasted tomatoes and all the liquid from the bottom of your roasting pan (there’s some good seasoning in there!). Bring it to a boil and let it simmer for 40 minutes.
Using an immersion blender, blend your soup to the desired consistency- I like mine somewhere between slightly chunky and fairly smooth.
The soup is good on its own, but trust me: you’ll want to dip a grouchie sammich in there.
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