Everyone should listen to Adele while making hot tomato soup.  It soothes the soul and calms the mind.  The weather is wet and damp and tomato soup and grilled cheese croutons hit the spot here in the Pacific Northwest.  Rain,Rain go away come again some other day.  But then again tomato soup hits the spot so I will take the rain for just a little longer.

Adapted from Tom Douglas Tomato Soup Recipe heard on Splendid Table

Ingredients

• 52 oz  San Marzano whole tomatoes in juice
• 1 cup water
• 1 medium onion thinly sliced
• 3-4 confit garlic
• 1 tablespoon garlic confit oil(use the oil from your garlic confit)
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/4 teaspoon celery seed
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh chopped oregano
• 1/2  tablespoon sugar

Step 1

Melt butter and garlic oil to a dutch oven pot and then saute onion slices and garlic  until onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Next add chopped tomatoes,water,cream salt, red pepper flakes, celery seed, oregano,  and sugar.  bring to a boil and then simmer for about 15 minutes.

Step 2 

Remove the pot from the heat and blend soup with an immersion blender.  Reheat soup to a simmer and season with salt and pepper. 

Step 3

Serve with garlic cheese croutons.

Garlic Cheese Croutons

Croutons adapted from smitten kitchen

Ingredients

• 4-5 slices of bread sliced into small cubes
• 4 tablespoons of melted butter
• 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
• salt and pepper
• 1/4 cup grated gruyere cheese
• 2 tablespoons grated parmesan
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme

Step 1

Preheat oven 400 degrees. Place bread cubes in shallow wide bowl.  Whisk dijon, and butter and pour over bread cubes. Sprinkle cubes with salt, pepper, and  both cheeses, parsley and thyme.  Toss to coat.  Spray baking sheet with nonstick spray  or using silicone mat place all of the croutons on the pan leaving space between bread cubes.  Bake for 15-20 minutes until croutons are crisp and golden in color and you smell that wonderful odor.

Tips

• When using the immersion blender make sure to keep it covered with soup or else you will have a spray of tomato everywhere in your kitchen.  (Not that I know from experience or anything, wink,wink)
• Make sure to use whole tomatoes not pre-cut. Using kitchen shears to cut tomatoes inside of the can.
• If you don't have garlic confit on hand, although I recommend it, you can use sliced garlic or roasted garlic

          How do you eat on a rainy day?  What soups are you eating? Love to hear from you.