Roasted Tomato Soup with Israeli Couscous

It’s winter and we need something hearty as we come in from a cold day. Soups have that marvelous quality of warming us up and make us feel good again.

From Sarah Lasry‘s The At Home Gourmet (page 66):

Photo by: Joshua Shaub on page 67

There is nothing like a great tomato soup when I’m feeling blue and tired after a hard day’s work to perk me up. I usually take a big bowl of this soup, put on my pj’s, cuddle up in a bed and call it an early night. It makes a great, easy, quick supper when you are in a rush and want to serve something hearty.

NOTE: DO NOT REFRIGERATE your tomatoes! Cold temperatures ruin tomatoes. hurting their flavor and their texture. You can cut the acidity of your tomato soup by adding just a tablespoon of granulated sugar at the end of cooking.

For the Roasted Tomatoes:

• 8 large tomatoes, halved and seeded
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp black pepper

For the Soup:

• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp curry powder
• 3 tsp minced garlic
• pinch kosher salt
• pinch black pepper
• 1 tsp cilantro (optional)
• 1 carrot, sliced
• 1 1/2 cups tomato sauce (or juice)
• 5 cups vegetable stock 9or water)
• 1 cup Israeli couscous

Preheat oven to 375-400 degrees

On a large baking sheet that has been sprayed with non-stick spray, lay your halved tomatoes face down. Drizzle olive oil lightly over the tomatoes and sprinkle a little kosher salt and pepper over them. Place in the oven for about 15-20 minutes.

Remove from oven and set aside to cool. when the cooked, chop up up the tomatoes into small chunks.

In a large soup pot heat the olive oil and saute the onions for a few minutes. Add all the spices to the onions and mix them well, making sure the onions are well cooked. Saute for another minute or two. Add the carrots to the onions and mix wel,; cook gently for 5 minutes and then add the chopped tomatoes and tomato juice. Bring the soup to a simmer and then add the vegetable stock and the couscous. Bring the soup to a full boil and cook until the couscous is soft and tender (about 20 minutes). Add salt and pepper to taste before serving.

NOTE: If you are short on time, substitute the roasted tomatoes with 3 cups of canned diced tomatoes (about 28 oz.)

Enjoy, gentle reader, enjoy!

CS

Tomato Broth and Angel Hair Pasta

I always liked tomato, I always liked pasta, I always liked soup in winter. When I came across a simple, easy to prepare, recipe that combined all three, it was obvious I had to try it. When I made it last eve, I knew it would become an instant favorite. From The Big Book of Pasta:

Tomato Broth and Angel Hair Soup

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1 lb 2 oz ripe tomatoes, peeled and halved.
• 8 garlic cloves, peeled but left whole
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon saffron threads, slightly crushed
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 bouquet garni
• 2 inch strip thinly paired lemon rind
• 2 1/2 cups vegetable or chicken stock
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 10 oz angel hair pasta
• salt and pepper

Directions

1. Put the tomatoes, garlic cloves, onion, saffron, sugar, bouquet garni, and lemon rind into a large, heavy bottom pan. Pour in the stock and bring the to a boil, lower the heat, cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 25-30 minutes, until the tomatoes have disintegrated.
2. Remove the pan from the heat and let cool slightly. Remove and discard the garlic cloves, bouquet garni and lemon rind. Ladle the tomato mixture into a food processor or blender and process to a purée.
3. Return the purée to the rinsed out pan and season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in the olive oi, add the pasta and bring to a boil. Cook for 2-4 minutes, until tender but still firm to the bite.
4. Taste and adjust the seasoning, if necessary. Ladle the broth and pasta into warmed soup bowl and serve immediately.

Enjoy, gentle reader, enjoy!

CS