On the Monday of the MLK Day weekend temperatures reached 4 degrees. FOUR. That’s ridiculously cold…though I wouldn’t really know because when I heard about the weather I refused to leave the house. Another thing I thought when I heard the weather was that it was the perfect day for a soup and sandwich lunch. I had actually never made my own tomato soup, but it turns out it’s suuuuper easy.
Start by sautéing one small chopped onion in olive oil. Once they’ve softened, add a can of diced tomatoes along with all your spices and simmer away. For spices, I used a hefty amount of salt (those canned tomatoes can be pretty sweet), crushed red pepper flakes, and Trader Joe’s new mushroom umami seasoning. Once you’ve got the flavor right, use an immersion blender to get it nice and smooth. At this point, it’s got a really lovely texture, but a bit of heavy cream swirled in may make it even lovelier. (That said, the cream isn’t necessary and if you leave it out, this becomes a really nice vegan dish.)
That umami seasoning gives it that perfect…umami. That well rounded flavor that’s impossible to define. I also love the bit of heat from the red pepper to balance out the sweetness of the tomatoes. No cheese needed on the top, but it’s really great served with a hunk of sourdough for dipping.
Peaches to Apples 