Recipe Review: Easy Tomato Soup

Source:  Cooking Essentials by Cooking Club of America, page 126












 Easy Tomato Soup

 Ingredients:
 1-3/4 cups water*
1 vegetable bouillon cube**
1 medium onion
2 Tablespoons butter
2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
14 oz. (400 g) canned tomatoes***
2 Tablespoons tomato paste
salt and pepper
1 teaspooon superfine sugar****

*I used milk since that's how I prefer my tomato soup.
**I couldn't find any, so I substituted 1 heaping teaspoon of Glory Foods' Roasted Vegetable Seasoned Cooking Base.
***I used a 14 oz. can of diced tomatoes.
****I used regular sugar.

Directions:
1.  Dissolve the bouillon cube in 1-3/4 cups boiling water (or milk).  Peel and chop the onion.  Melt the butter in a large pan, add the onion, and stir over low heat for 10 minutes, or until soft.

2.  Sprinkle the flour over the onion; stir well.  Add the stock, tomatoes (chop if needed), tomato paste, and salt and pepper.  Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring all the time, then simmer for 2-3 minutes, stirring occassionally.

3.  Place a large sieve over a large bowl, pour the soup into the sieve, and press the solids through with the back of a spoon.  Do not use a blender for this soup:  it needs to be sieved to remove any tomato cores and seeds.*

4.  Pour the soup back into the pan, return to medium heat, and bring to a simmer.  Add the sugar, then check the seasoning.

*Since I used diced tomatoes, I figured there probably were not many, if any, cores or seeds to deal with.  So I did what they said NOT to do, and I pureed it in my Vita-Mix blender. It came out just fine.

The whole family loved it, especially Robert.  He offered some to Gracie and she immediately said, "Mmmmm!"  I was really surprised!  Robert was VERY disappointed when there were not enough for seconds.  This was enough for two adults and one toddler.

Robert asked me to make more to freeze and for him to take to work for lunch.  I doubled the recipe (using a 28 oz can of diced tomatoes).