So cold weather always makes me want tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwhiches! I was reading on Word of Wisdom Living about soup and it was recommend to find Nordstrom's Tomato Basil recipe and try it out...so I did. I've never made tomato basil soup and I've never had Nordstrom's version either. All the recipes I saw were the same but this one supposedly came straight from the cafe's own cookbook.
From
Studiozoe on Flickr:
"I realized, when writing this, that I didn't
do it exactly like the cookbook calls...so
technically I'm not violating any copyrights
since it isn't the same recipe! It's better
my way:
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
4 large carrots, peeled and chopped
1 large yellow onion, chopped
1 Tablespoon dried basil
4 cans whole tomatoes in
puree
6 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken
broth
2 cups heavy whipping cream
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
2 Tablespoons lightly packed fresh basil
leaves, cut into fine ribbons
In a 7,5 liter stockpot (a really big one!)
over medium heat, warm the oil and swirl to
coat the bottom of the pan. Add the carrots,
onion, and dried basil and saute, stirring
occasionally, until softened, 10 to 12
minutes. Add the tomatoes, including the
puree, and the broth and bring just to a
boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer,
uncovered, for 2 minutes to blend the
flavors.
Remove from the heat. Using a
stick-immersion blender, puree the soup in
the pot. (if you don't have one of those,
get one! or, working in batches, puree the
soup in a blender or food processor fitted
with the metal blade.)
Return the pureed soup to the saucepan, add
the cream, and place over medium heat. Warm
until heated through. Season to taste with
salt and pepper.
Ladle the soup into a warmed soup tureen or
individual bowls, garnish with the basil, and
serve immediately.
Be warned, this recipe is a double-batch. It
EASILY serves 12-15. Halve this for a
normal-sized starter to feed 6. I made the
mistake of just starting to cook...and then I
realized I'd have to get out a second
stockpot! And yes, use DRIED basil. If you
use fresh basil to start, it'll just lose all
its flavor. This is one of the few times
(oregano is another) where I have no problem
using the dried stuff."
I halved the recipe. The smell of the vegetables and basil sauteing was worth cooking it in and of itself! The soup tasted really yummy like promised. Next time I'll puree it a little more than I did but that's all I'd do differently.
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
4 large carrots, peeled and chopped
1 large yellow onion, chopped
1 Tablespoon dried basil
4 cans whole tomatoes in puree
6 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 cups heavy whipping cream
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
2 Tablespoons lightly packed fresh basil leaves, cut into fine ribbons
In a 7,5 liter stockpot (a really big one!) over medium heat, warm the oil and swirl to coat the bottom of the pan. Add the carrots, onion, and dried basil and saute, stirring occasionally, until softened, 10 to 12 minutes. Add the tomatoes, including the puree, and the broth and bring just to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 2 minutes to blend the flavors.
Remove from the heat. Using a stick-immersion blender, puree the soup in the pot. (if you don't have one of those, get one! or, working in batches, puree the soup in a blender or food processor fitted with the metal blade.)
Return the pureed soup to the saucepan, add the cream, and place over medium heat. Warm until heated through. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Ladle the soup into a warmed soup tureen or individual bowls, garnish with the basil, and serve immediately.