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Tomato: Basque Roasted Tomato Soup

Source of Recipe

Eating Well, Oct. 1997


List of Ingredients

2 pounds large plum tomatoes
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1 small dried chiles -- broken, up to 2
--or 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
2 onions, finely chopped
2 large cloves garlic, peel and crush
1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano (1 tsp. dried)
28 ounces Italian plum tomatoes, drain and chop
--reserve liquid
6 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth -- defatted
salt & freshly ground black pepper -- to taste
8 large shrimp (1/2 lb) -- optional
2 tablespoons snipped fresh chives
--or slivered basil leaves



Recipe

Preheat oven to 225ºF. Lightly oil a large baking sheet with sides or coat it with nonstick spray. Cut fresh tomatoes in half lengthwise. Arrange, cut-side down, in a single layer on prepared baking sheet. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon oil and sprinkle with sugar. Roast for 3 hours, or until very soft and wrinkled. Let cool and set aside.

Meanwhile, in a Dutch oven or soup pot, heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil and dried chilies (or crushed red pepper) over medium-low heat. Add onions and garlic and cook, stirring, until lightly browned, 10 to 12 minutes. Add paprika and oregano and cook, stirring, for 1 minute more. Add canned tomatoes and chicken broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer, partially covered, for 25 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.

Strain soup into a bowl; transfer solids to a food processor or blender. Puree until smooth, adding a little broth if necessary. Return puree and broth to pot. Whisk to combine. Using a food mill, puree reserved roasted tomatoes. (Alternatively, slip off skins, puree in a food processor and strain through a coarse sieve.) Add puree to soup. (If the soup is too thick, add a little of the reserved canned tomato liquid.) Season with salt and pepper. If using shrimp, cook in a large saucepan of boiling salted water until they just turn pink, 1 to 2 minutes. Drain and let cool. Peel shrimp and cut in half lengthwise. Ladle into warmed soup bowls and garnish with shrimp, if using, and chives (or basil). Serve immediately, with Garlic Crostini.