Jack’s Astoundingly Delicious Cream of Tomato Soup Recipe

When you’re getting a bumper crop of tomatoes out in the garden and you don’t know what to do, a fresh tomato soup can always come to the rescue. This freezes up wonderfully but do not add the cream if you plan on freezing it. Wait until it is ready to use, reheat and add the cream then.

2 quarts chopped tomatoes, preferable homegrown and several varieties

1 cup low salt chicken stock (or vegetable stock if preferred)

1 /2 cup high quality olive oil

1 large roasted red bell pepper, peeled, seeded and rough chopped

1 roasted jalapeno, peeled, seeded, and rough chopped

1 half celery stalk, diced fine

1 half small onion, diced fine

3 tablespoons Asian fish sauce (sub: three medium anchovies)

1 /2 teaspoon ground cloves

1 /2 teaspoon ground cardamom

1 pint heavy cream

Ground Black Pepper to taste (the fish sauce is pretty salty so you may not need to add more)

[Optional step, certainly recommended if using store bought tomatoes: Slice ¾ of the tomatoes into fourths, salt them down fairly well, brush with a little olive oil, and roast in the oven at 350 for about an hour. After roasting combine them with the fresh tomatoes and continue the recipe.]

Put tomatoes and chicken stock in a 3 quart saucepan and bring to gentle boil for 20 minutes. (I use the skins and seeds for extra flavor).

While the tomatoes are cooking, saute onions and celery in a little olive oil until onions begin to soften.

Add onions/celery, jalapeno, red bell pepper, the cloves/cardamom, and the fish sauce to the tomatoes and let simmer for another ten minutes.

Using a wand blender, blend everything in pot until it is smooth. The blend in olive oil until it is completely smooth. (Or use a counter top blender and do it in batches if necessary)

Let simmer for another thirty minutes with the top off, stirring occasionally, and then pull out about a cup and a half into a larger bowl to let cool.

Whisk into the cooled tomato sauce the pint of cream, and then slowly whisk that into the larger pot of tomato soup. Let simmer for another five minutes and serve.

Serves four.

Sprinkle fresh ground pepper, paprika pepper, and parmesan cheese over the hot soup. Or, add a toasted piece of bread with melted cheese of your choice to the bowl before serving.

Refrigerate and serve chilled if you want a nice cool lunch for a hot summer day.

If you have enjoyed this recipe I encourage you to look around at my other Hubs and discover some wonderful food. Here's another great summer garden recipe for you...

Jack's World Famous Adult Pleasing Strawberry Shortcake