Some Soups for Cool Days

When the weather finally cools down, and in some areas it really and truly COOLS DOWN (which, apparently, it is doing up north in the next day or two), it comes time to think of warming foods. In this blog I am revisiting a couple of oldies: Tomato Soup, either chunky or creamy, depending on preference. My preference is always creamy. It is what I grew up with (albeit out of a can), though my sister in law one day requested a chunky version, which I altered to her taste. They are both delightfully good. A third recipe (which, sadly, I have never yet remembered to photograph) is a Vegetarian "Chili" that at times I made adding in a crumbled chunk of tempeh.

The two versions of tomato soup are equally simple to make, and in about 15 to 20 minutes you have something far superior to the canned variety, plus the option to reduce the salt content. These can be made with fresh tomatoes, and the flavor is hard to beat if using heirlooms, but canned petite diced are always available and make the whole process much quicker still.

Chunky Tomato Soup

Chunky Tomato Soup

Makes about 4 - 5 cups

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
⅓ cup onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 (14.5 ounce) can petite diced tomatoes, divided
½ cup water
1 teaspoon chicken bouillon, or chicken "base"
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 small bunch parsley, tied in a bundle
1 cup milk
½ cup whipping cream
pinch black pepper

In a medium pot, melt the butter. Add in the onion and garlic and sauté slowly for about 10 minutes until translucent and soft. Add in half the can of tomatoes plus the half cup water. Using an immersion blender right in the pot (or other blender, returning the mixture to the pot), partially puree the tomatoes, onion and garlic. Add in the rest of the tomatoes along with the chicken bouillon, baking soda, pepper and parsley. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer gently for 10 minutes. Add in the milk and cream and bring mixture just to the boil. Remove parsley and serve.

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In this second, creamy version, I like to add in a roasted, peeled red bell pepper, just because 1) I love the flavor, and 2) it gives great color. If you do not have time to roast, peel and seed a red bell pepper, use one jarred, whole red bell pepper, rinsed well, instead.

Creamy Tomato Soup

Creamy Tomato Soup

Makes about 5 cups

1½ pounds fresh tomatoes, Roma preferred, OR
     1 (15-oz.) can chopped tomatoes
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium red bell pepper, seeds and veins removed, chopped
2 - 4 cloves of garlic, to taste
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, lightly chopped
1 to 1½ teaspoons salt, to taste
2 tablespoons concentrated tomato paste (from a tube or a can)
1 cup water
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon flour (for Gluten-Free see "NOTES", below)
1 cup heavy cream, optional

If using fresh tomatoes, scald them for 1 minute in boiling water, peel and chop. Reserve the skins to one side. 

If using a can of chopped tomatoes, disregard the first step.

Over medium heat melt together the first tablespoon of butter and olive oil in the pot. Add in the chopped onions and sweat them, stirring often for about 3 to 5 minutes; do not brown. Add in the red bell pepper, garlic, thyme and salt and allow to cook for 3 to 5 minutes more. If using a can of chopped tomatoes, add them at this time. If using fresh scalded tomatoes add them and then squeeze the skins to get as much pulp as possible into the pot. Discard skins once squeezed dry.

Add in the double concentrated tomato paste and the water. Bring to boil, reduce to a simmer and cook about 10 minutes. Pour the contents of the pot into a blender container and blend until very fine. Meanwhile, wipe out the pot and place it back on the burner on low. Add in the extra tablespoon butter and the flour and blend well. Return the contents of the blender to the pan and stir vigorously to combine the butter and flour with the tomato mixture. Bring back to a boil, stirring. Remove from the heat and add in the cup of heavy cream, stirring to combine. Serve immediately.  

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This Vegetarian Chili is one I haven't made in quite some time. In part, because of all the canned beans and vegetables, with the amount of sodium they contain. I am far more sensitive to sodium as I age than I was 20 or 30 years ago. These days, there are many canned beans and vegetables with 50% less sodium or no sodium, so this is not as big a problem. All that said, I still have no pictures, though this was very good indeed, and with the addition of the Tempeh (or add in some nice chewy cooked grains, such as barley, wheat or rye, to approximate the feel of biting into meat).

Tempeh is something I have not seen now for a lot of years, though I can truthfully say I haven't searched for it. 

TEMPEH:

Like Tofu, Tempeh is a fermented whole soybean product. Also like with tofu, Tempeh absorbs the flavors of the dish in which it is being used. In the case of tempeh, the soybeans are halved or broken, and not smooth as with Tofu. The particular fermentation process of the whole bean gives it a higher content of protein, fiber and vitamins than tofu. It has a firm texture and a slightly nutty flavor. It generally is sold in vacuum sealed plastic pouches. It can be broken up into bits into such things as this chili recipe, below. Its texture puts one in mind of the feel of meat, without having meat.

Using Tempeh is easy. It can be boiled, fried or steamed, then added to any dish. I have in past made a Mock Individual "Chicken" Wellington at a fancy dinner I made, where one of the guests was vegetarian. I first boiled a nice square of the tempeh in a vegetable stock to begin giving flavor. Then I fried it in oil, until it had a pretty golden color, then added the same mushroom and seasonings as I would for the  Chicken Wellingtons, and wrapped it in puff pastry. I got such raves from the lady! And as she did not finish eating all her food (something I can never understand 😕, as when I enjoy food I just cannot stop till it is gone), after the guests left, I took a tiny bite, to find that I nearly liked that version more than the chicken version.

The brand I had most often seen is "Lightlife". This brand also carries a flax tempeh and a three grain tempeh (made with rice, flax and soy). I used to keep the vacuum pouches in the freezer for whenever I needed.

Easy Vegetarian Chili

Makes 4 - 6 servings

1½ tablespoons olive oil
2 onions, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
½ red bell pepper, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 (15-ounce) cans tomato sauce
1 large tomato, diced
2 small cans mushrooms
1 can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
1 can corn, drained
1 (4-ounce) can chopped green chilies
½ to 1 package of Tempeh, crumbled, optional
1 teaspoon fennel seed, crushed
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon chili powder
salt, to taste
freshly ground pepper, to taste

In a large soup pot heat the olive oil until shimmering. Add in the first 5 ingredients and sauté for about 7 - 10 minutes. Add in the tomato sauce, diced tomato, all the canned items and the fennel, cumin and chili powder. If using tempeh, add this now, also. Bring the pot to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for at least a half hour, until the fresh vegetables are soft.


My passion is teaching people how to create a harmony of flavors with their cooking, and passing along my love and joy of food, both simple or exotic, plain or fancy. I continue my journey in ethnic and domestic cuisines, continuing my journey to explore diverse culinary experiences and hopefully to start you on a journey of your own. Join me also at A Harmony of Flavors on Facebook, and Pinterest.