Post by Noelle on Oct 27, 2011 1:24:59 GMT -5
That's how they used to describe recipes in the old cookbooks. Take a fine bit of mutton etc etc. Anyway here is my recipe for a pureed tomato soup that is good for all seasons.
Tomato Fennel Soup
The fennel is not overpowering but adds depth.
Type of tomatoes to use: Juicy and flavourful is the key. Your fine tomatoes. Don’t use paste tomatoes here or you will have to thin the soup with too much water or stock.
I have used my canned tomatoes too in the winter using 1/2 cup seeded and drained for a medium size fresh tomato.
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 chopped medium onion
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 heaping teaspoon Spanish paprika
1 small fennel bulb (I use the greenish tops too) chopped
3 sprigs fresh thyme or marjoram (1 tsp dried)
1 dried bay leaf
8 medium tomatoes, peeled (3 1/2-4cups canned)
2 cups chicken stock or vegetable stock ( if using the kind in tetrablocks be cautious before you add the salt)
Salt, pepper to taste
In a heavy bottomed 4-quart saucepan or dutch oven heat the olive oil over medium heat and cook the onion and fennel about 5 minutes. Do not let them brown (you may have to turn down the heat). Add the minced garlic and cook for a minute, then add the paprika and cook stirring for another minute or two. Add the herbs and continue cooking for two minutes. After 10 minutes, the onions and fennel should be translucent and soft.
While the onion is cooking prepare the tomatoes by dropping them into boiling water for a minute or so, then plunging them into cold water and slipping off the skins. Chop roughly and add to the cooked onion/fennel mixture. Add the stock, cover the pot and simmer gently for about 20 minutes until the tomatoes are completely soft.
Cool slightly. Fish out the bay leaf and discard.
Using an immersion stick blender blend the soup until smooth. Do not overblend or the soup will end up too frothy and pale. This can be done in regular blender as well but for no more than 5 or 10 seconds or the pale thing will happen. You are forewarned.
Check seasoning, adding salt and pepper to taste. I sometimes add a little cayenne pepper if I want a bit of a kick but dried espelette pepper for the adventurous works amazingly here. Serve hot with crackers if you are a traditionalist or fresh garlic croutons or just plain.
This should serve 4-6.
Tomato Fennel Soup
The fennel is not overpowering but adds depth.
Type of tomatoes to use: Juicy and flavourful is the key. Your fine tomatoes. Don’t use paste tomatoes here or you will have to thin the soup with too much water or stock.
I have used my canned tomatoes too in the winter using 1/2 cup seeded and drained for a medium size fresh tomato.
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 chopped medium onion
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 heaping teaspoon Spanish paprika
1 small fennel bulb (I use the greenish tops too) chopped
3 sprigs fresh thyme or marjoram (1 tsp dried)
1 dried bay leaf
8 medium tomatoes, peeled (3 1/2-4cups canned)
2 cups chicken stock or vegetable stock ( if using the kind in tetrablocks be cautious before you add the salt)
Salt, pepper to taste
In a heavy bottomed 4-quart saucepan or dutch oven heat the olive oil over medium heat and cook the onion and fennel about 5 minutes. Do not let them brown (you may have to turn down the heat). Add the minced garlic and cook for a minute, then add the paprika and cook stirring for another minute or two. Add the herbs and continue cooking for two minutes. After 10 minutes, the onions and fennel should be translucent and soft.
While the onion is cooking prepare the tomatoes by dropping them into boiling water for a minute or so, then plunging them into cold water and slipping off the skins. Chop roughly and add to the cooked onion/fennel mixture. Add the stock, cover the pot and simmer gently for about 20 minutes until the tomatoes are completely soft.
Cool slightly. Fish out the bay leaf and discard.
Using an immersion stick blender blend the soup until smooth. Do not overblend or the soup will end up too frothy and pale. This can be done in regular blender as well but for no more than 5 or 10 seconds or the pale thing will happen. You are forewarned.
Check seasoning, adding salt and pepper to taste. I sometimes add a little cayenne pepper if I want a bit of a kick but dried espelette pepper for the adventurous works amazingly here. Serve hot with crackers if you are a traditionalist or fresh garlic croutons or just plain.
This should serve 4-6.
