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Tomato Soup

Source of Recipe

From "Not Your Mama's Canning Book" by Rebecca Lindamood


Recipe Introduction

"Creamy tomato soup and a grilled cheese is about the most comforting combination I can conjure. When you make it from scratch, you'll be hard pressed to go back to the red and white can again."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ 10 pounds plum tomatoes, washed well
â—¦ 1 ½ cups finely chopped onions
â—¦ ¾ cup finely chopped carrots
â—¦ ¼ cup finely chopped celery
â—¦ 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
â—¦ 1 ½ teaspoons dried oregano
â—¦ 2 bay leaves
â—¦ ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
â—¦ ¼ cup lemon juice or 1 teaspoon citric acid


Recipe

Cut six of the plum tomatoes into quarters and place in a large stainless steel stockpot over medium-high heat. Squash enthusiastically with a potato masher and bring to a boil. When the mixture reaches a boil, add six more quartered plum tomatoes, returning to a boil and mashing with the potato masher. Repeat this process until all of the tomatoes have been incorporated, boiled and mashed, stirring frequently to prevent scorching and sticking. Add the onions, carrots, celery, garlic, oregano, bay leaves, and crushed red pepper flakes. Bring to a boil, stir well, drop the heat to medium-low and simmer until reduced by half, stirring frequently, for about 1 ½ to 2 hours. Let cool to a comfortable temperature and put through a food mill. Rinse the stockpot, return the milled soup mixture to the pot, and return to a boil, stirring often.

Add 1 ½ teaspoons of lemon juice or â…› teaspoon of citric acid to each pint jar. Use a ladle to scoop the tomato soup into jars, leaving ½ inch of headspace. Moisten a paper towel with vinegar and wipe the rims of the jars clean. Place lids on the jars and fasten appropriately, whether it's turning a ring to fingertip tightness or fixing clamps in place.

Use canning tongs to transfer the jars to a canner full of boiling water that covers the jars by 2 inches. Put the lid of the canner in place, return the water to a boil, and let it process for 35 minutes. Carefully transfer the jars to a towel-lined counter or wire cooling rack and allow them to cool completely, preferably overnight, before removing any rings, wiping the jars clean and labeling. Store the jars in a cool, dark place for up to one year.

Makes about 6 pints



Cook's Notes:

• If you like ultra-smooth tomato soup — more similar in texture to the commercial variety — you can run a stick blender through the soup after running it through the food mill. If you don't have a stick blender, you can achieve a similar texture by blending the milled soup in batches until it is velvety smooth.

• To reheat your soup, simply empty the jar into a small saucepan over low heat and stir until steam is coming from the top. Taste and adjust with salt and pepper, then pour in ¼ cup heavy cream and stir. Continue cooking only until the soup is hot all the way through.