Tomato soup, if done well, is prime comfort food. This recipe is both tasty and quick to make. Plus, bacon.
Ingredients:
- 1 28 oz. can stewed tomatoes
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 6 slices thick-cut bacon
- 1 cup fresh basil leaves, loosely packed
Cook the bacon using your favorite method, then cool and drain on paper towels. Cut or crumble into small pieces.
Shred the basil into thin slices. (see below)
Put the tomatoes, cream and bacon in a saucepan. Gently heat until steaming but not boiling — about 185 degrees F.
Remove from heat, and stir in the basil. Season to taste.
Serve hot.
Notes and tips:
- You can substitute light cream or half-and-half for the heavy cream. I wouldn’t try whole or lowfat milk though; the milk fat is important to the recipe.
- There are lots of ways to cook bacon. In this case since you’re not worried about the final appearance of the bacon strips, consider just microwaving them on a plate between paper towels (the fat will spatter).
- Cutting up basil into thin slices is called “chiffenade.” It’s super easy and takes less than 30 seconds. Stack up several basil leaves, all aligned the same way; roll them up into a cigar; and then slice it up cross-ways. Here’s a Youtube video on chiffenade:
- A can of stewed tomatoes will often contain rather large pieces of tomato. Big chunks are good in this recipe, but feel free to chop them up a bit if it if you so desire.
- Try stirring in 1/8 teaspoon of brandy, vodka or rice wine just before you add the basil, to bring out more of the flavors in the soup.
- You will want to serve this with a hearty, whole-grain bread that you can use to lap up the remainders in your soup bowl.