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Beautiful Indeed … Cream of Tomato Soup

Date: Mar. 31st 2006
Category: Flavour of the Month, Soup
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March 31st already!

It’s been a great month of cooking and baking. I’m so very happy with my choice for Flavour of the Month:  Paulette Mitchell’s A Beautiful Bowl of Soup. With Mitchell’s fantastic recipe, I learned how to make something new. Something I’d never tried before:  an incredible vegetable stock. Hands down, that is the best thing that I can ask for from a cookbook. My copy is splattered, dog-eared, covered in post-it notes … and I love it!

So here we are my friends! The eve of a new weekend and the the eve of a new month.

You are all such an incredible source of inspiration for me. Not a day goes by where I don’t learn about a new food, a new recipe, a new cookbook, a new way of cooking. Show me … tell me … teach me … I can’t wait to see what you have in store for me in April!

I wish all of you a month of happy blogging ahead! I’m sending you a bowl of comforting Cream of Tomato Soup to get you started.

Ciao!

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Cream of Tomato Soup with Puff Pastry Crowns

Adapted from A Beautiful Bowl of Soup by Paulette Mitchell.

For the soup:

  • a sprig of thyme
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 cup finely chopped onion
  • 1 cup water
  • 1/3 cup tomato paste
  • 1-1/2 cans whole tomatoes (28 fluid ounces each, juice reserved)
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 cups half-and-half or milk
  • 1 tablespoon packed light brown sugar
  • salt and pepper to taste (use white pepper if you have it)
  1. Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large stockpot. Add the onion and cook until the onions have softened, about 5 minutes.
  2. Combine the tomato paste and the water and mix well; add to the butter and onion.
  3. Add the thyme, bay leaf and red pepper flakes; cook for 2 minutes, stirring often.
  4. Add the tomatoes and half of the reserved tomato juice. With a spoon, break up the tomatoes slightly. Add the garlic.
  5. Bring the soup to a boil; reduce heat, cover and simmer for 30 minutes.
  6. After 30 minutes, puree the soup in a blender or food processor.
  7. Return the soup to the stockpot and add the remaining butter, the half-and-half or milk and the brown sugar. Taste the soup and add salt and pepper to taste (I used 1 teaspoon of salt and a 1/4 teaspoon of white pepper.) Mix well.
  8. You can either serve the soup as is or you can prepare the puff pastry crowns.
  9. Enjoy!

For the puff pastry crowns:

  • 1 egg
  • 1 tablespoon water
  • puff pastry, thawed
  1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.
  2. Whisk together the egg and the water to make an egg wash.
  3. Roll out your puff pastry until it’s about a 1/4-inch thick.
  4. With a sharp knife, cut out circles that are slightly smaller than the size of the bowls you are using.
  5. Transfer the circles to the baking sheet and brush with the egg wash.
  6. Bake for 15 minutes or until puffed and golden.
  7. Let the the puff pastry crowns cool for a few minutes before placing them on each bowl of soup.

Note:  Leftovers will keep in the refrigerator for 3 days.

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22 Comments

rowena

04/1/06 at 1:18 am

I love the added touch of the puff pastry crowns. Buttery, flaky goodness contrasting with a flavorful tomato soup. Oooh yeah!

Fabienne

04/1/06 at 5:46 am

IT’s very beautiful …

Sonali

04/1/06 at 9:56 am

Very pretty. I have never made Soup before. Will give it a try.

Sally

04/1/06 at 10:03 am

Look how beautiful that is! And so easy. I wonder if you could can that? I’ll bet you could. This one I’m definitely going to try. Thanks, Ivonne!

fran

04/1/06 at 10:23 am

Oh Wow! This looks so good. I love tomato soup but have never made the real thing like this–and that pastry!

Bea at La Tartine Gourmande

04/1/06 at 10:23 am

Beautiful Ivonne. I love the first pic, with the light on the soup! Great recipe! mmmm, I can almost taste it!

verniciousknids

04/1/06 at 10:53 am

I also like the addition of a pastry crown…tomato is the king of soups?!

BTW I like the design on your cutlery :)

Ivonne

04/1/06 at 12:14 pm

Hi Rowena,

It was very good. Is there anyting better than puff pastry???

Hello Fabienne,

Thanks for visiting Cream Puffs in Venice … it was delicious!

Hi Sonali,

Please do give it a try. I made my version spicier than the original. You may want to give that a try too if you like spicier food.

Sally,

You can do it! In fact I’m issuing you a challenge!

Hi Fran,

Ok I just issued Sally a challenge now I’m issuing you one too!

Hi Bea,

Merci mon amie!

Hi VK,

Tomato soup does rock … and thanks about the cutlery … that’s my mom’s cutlery from when she got married!

Fabienne

04/1/06 at 1:20 pm

Ivonne, I love your blog too and i think your french is “bon” … Gorgious recipes and beautiful pictures…
Amicalement
Fabienne

patricia moed

04/1/06 at 2:14 pm

Hi Ivonne.

This is definitely going into my recipe folder. What a great combination–hot soup and hot puff pastry.

Gourmet

04/1/06 at 5:24 pm

I have a similar photo about cream of “porri”…Excuse me Ivonne..
I don’t remember the english name!!:-)
English..english… :-DD
I love tomato soup!!And the photo..;-)
The summer it’s coming!!
Sandra

Ivonne

04/1/06 at 11:52 pm

Hi Fabienne,

Merci … I’m so glad we “met” … I look forward to visiting your blog often!

Hi Patricia!

Thanks so much. It was really easy to make and very delicious!

Ciao Gourmet!

Porri are leeks! And I can’t wait for the summer either!

Paz

04/2/06 at 1:10 am

Ahhh! As usual, delicious looking. Thanks Ivonne! I wish you a happy new month of foodblogging, too. Can’t wait to read what you have in store for us.

Best,
Paz (who can’t wait to make her own vegetable stock!)

Ivonne

04/2/06 at 8:52 am

Hi Paz,

I’m so excited! I can’t wait to read about you making your own vegetable stock!

verniciousknids

04/2/06 at 9:22 am

BTW Ivonne, I’ve tagged you :) (and nice story about your cutlery!)

Mark - Nazca

04/2/06 at 11:55 am

Leftovers? What are they?

Cindy

04/2/06 at 12:45 pm

That makes me wanna eat tomato soup. Beautiful…

sam

04/2/06 at 7:12 pm

Hi, Ivonne,

Love the soup! I don’t think there is any better soup than homemade tomato soup. l think I might have to trade you some dessert for soup!

Ivonne

04/2/06 at 9:30 pm

Hi VK,

Thanks for the tag … I love MEMEs!

Hi Mark,

Very funny … but you’re right … most of the time there are no leftovers!

Hi Cindy,

Thanks!

Hi Sam,

I’ll take that trade. You’re on!

Bron

04/4/06 at 4:01 pm

Mmmm I love soup, I love tomato soup, and I love the idea of the pastry crowns, … another “must-make”! ;-)

Rorie

04/4/06 at 6:38 pm

I love this dressed up version of the old classic - well done, my friend!

Ivonne

04/4/06 at 7:39 pm

Hi Bron,

The puff pastry crowns really add a wonderful touch!

Hi Rorie,

Merci beaucoup!

:o)

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