Just before the first frost of the season, we gather up all of the tomatoes from my mom’s garden to create this flavorful soup. Although it sounds like a lot of garlic, when it’s roasted, the garlic becomes mellow and almost sweet. We serve this soup with toasted bread spread with pesto.
—KAITLYN LERDAHL MADISON, WI
PREP: 25 MIN. • COOK: 40 MIN. • MAKES: 6 SERVINGS
15 large tomatoes (5 pounds), seeded and quartered
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons canola oil, divided
8 garlic cloves, minced
1 large onion, chopped
2 cups water
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, optional
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
Fresh basil leaves, optional
1. Preheat oven to 400°. Place the tomatoes in a greased 15x10x1-in. baking pan. Combine 1/4 cup oil and garlic; drizzle over the tomatoes. Toss to coat. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until softened, stirring occasionally. Remove and discard the skins.
2. Meanwhile, in a Dutch oven, saute onion in the remaining oil until tender. Add tomatoes and garlic, water, salt and, if desired, red pepper flakes. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 30 minutes or until the flavors are blended. Cool slightly.
3. In a blender, process the soup in batches until smooth. Return to the pan. Stir in cream and heat through. Sprinkle with basil if desired.
FREEZER OPTION Cool soup and transfer to freezer containers. Freeze up to 3 months. To use, thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Place in a large saucepan; heat through. Garnish with basil if desired.
HELPFUL HINT
Plentiful fresh tomatoes are a seasonal treat; good vine-ripened tomatoes in winter can be pricey. You can use canned tomatoes in recipes calling for fresh, and add just 1-2 vine-ripened tomatoes to give the dish a fresher flavor.