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Tomato Soup with Saffron Cream

Source of Recipe

From "Simple Comforts" (Sur La Table)


Recipe Introduction

"Nothing is better on a cold day than a cup of warm tomato soup and a gooey grilled cheese sandwich. This silken tomato soup - the elegant texture the result of pushing the soup through a fine sieve - carries a haunting hint of saffron and a pleasant hit of black pepper. Ideally, this soup is made with fresh tomatoes, but canned tomatoes can be substituted."

List of Ingredients

◦  2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
◦  1 large leek, white and pale green parts only, chopped
◦  ½ cup peeled and chopped carrot
◦  1 clove garlic, finely chopped
◦  1 tsp saffron threads
◦  3 pounds ripe tomatoes, cored and coarsely chopped, about 6 cups, or 2 (28-ounce) cans Italian plum tomatoes, with juices
◦  2 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
◦  ½ tsp coarse salt
◦  ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
◦  1 cup heavy cream, at room temperature
◦  2 tsp fresh lemon juice


Recipe

Combine the olive oil, leek, carrot, and garlic in a large Dutch oven or saucepan, place over medium heat, and heat, stirring, for about 10 minutes, or until the vegetables begin to sizzle. Decrease the heat to low, cover, and cook for 15 minutes, or until the vegetables are softened but not browned.

Meanwhile, put the saffron threads in a small, dry skillet, place over low heat, and warm for about 1 minute. Remove from the heat.

When the vegetables are ready, add ½ teaspoon of the heated saffron threads to the pan and reserve the remaining saffron in the skillet for the garnish. Heat the saffron in the vegetables, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, broth, and salt, and bring to a boil. Adjust the heat to medium-low, cover, and cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally and breaking up the tomatoes with the side of a spoon. Add the pepper, then taste and adjust the seasoning with salt.

While the soup is cooking, make the saffron cream garnish:
Add ½ cup of the cream to the saffron remaining in the skillet, place over low heat, and heat, stirring, until the cream is hot. Remove from the heat, cover, and let stand until ready to serve.

Remove the soup from the heat and let cool for about 20 minutes. Working in batches, ladle the soup into a blender and process until smooth. Alternatively, use an immersion blender to purée the soup in the pot. Set a fine-mesh strainer over a large, deep bowl. Ladle the soup into the strainer. Let stand for about 45 minutes. Press on the solids to extract as much flavor as possible. Scrape the purée from the outside of the strainer into the pot.

Rinse out the pot and return the soup to it. Gradually add the remaining ½ cup of cream to the soup, stirring gently with a whisk until blended. Reheat, whisking gently, over low heat. Stir in the lemon juice. Do not allow to boil. Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed. Ladle into warmed soup plates.

Strain the saffron through a fine-mesh strainer and drizzle a scant tablespoon of saffron cream into each bowl of soup.


Serves 4