HEIRLOOM TOMATO SOUP WITH GOAT CHEESE CROUTONS
Feeds 6
It’s pretty clear that the juiciest, biggest tomatoes grow in the Midwest. (Or is it New Jersey? Or Florida?) Here in the Pacific Northwest, tomato season is ridiculously brief and entirely reliant on the sometime sun we receive in the summer. Our tomatoes may not be as firm-fleshed as the ones grown so easily in Iowa, but we love the heirloom tomatoes that arrive in August: large, a little squished and funny looking, and much longed for all year long. In that brief slice of time, we make this tomato soup with local goat cheese and feast until October.
- 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, peeled and chopped
- 2 stalks celery, chopped
- 1 large carrot, peeled and chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 2½ pounds heirloom tomatoes, chopped
- 4 cups chicken stock (if you’re using boxed stock, make sure it’s gluten-free)
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- croutons
- ½ loaf day-old Sandwich Bread
- 2 ounces chèvre
Prepare to bake. Preheat the oven to 425°F.
Cook the aromatics. Set a Dutch oven over medium heat. Pour in 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the onions, celery, carrot, and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are soft and translucent, about 7 minutes. Stir in the basil and smoked paprika and cook until the scents are released, about 1 minute.
Cook the tomatoes. Add the chopped tomatoes to the soup. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes have started to soften, about 3 minutes. Pour in the stock and turn up the heat to medium-high. Bring the stock to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Simmer the soup for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Puree the soup. Pour one-third of the soup into a blender, adding 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Cover well. Remember the soup will be hot, so take care. Puree the soup. Pour it into a bowl. Continue with another third of the soup, adding another tablespoon of olive oil. Repeat with the remaining soup and olive oil. Pour the pureed soup back into the Dutch oven.
Finish the soup. Bring the soup back to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to low. Season with salt and pepper. Simmer the soup while you make the croutons, stirring occasionally.
Make the croutons. Cut the loaf of sandwich bread into 1-inch slices. Cut each slice into 1-inch cubes. Put the cubes of bread onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Toast the cubes of bread until they are browned and starting to harden, about 10 minutes.
Take the croutons out of the oven. Turn on the broiler. Slather each crouton with a bit of the chèvre. Put the croutons in the oven and watch carefully. Take them out of the oven when they are melty and bubbly.
Serve the soup. Ladle a generous portion of soup into each bowl, then dot the top with the goat cheese croutons. Serve immediately.
