Tomato Bisque
I got a request recently for this recipe which sent me scouring the internet, my files and my books here to find a suitable one. "Suitable", meaning one that didn't require me to run to the store for the ingredients but rather use ones I already had in my fridge or pantry. Which is exactly what I need. Cause it's not like I go to the store every other day or something......
So this recipe starts with bacon. (Shouldn't ALL of them?) I mean, we can stop right there cause ya had me at bacon! And then it progressed into the trinity (carrot, celery, onion) and got even better when it ended with cream! Is this dish healthy for you, eh, probably not, but it taste damn good! So, just eat healthy tomorrow!
Here's the breakdown.
Tomato Bisque
Adapted From Food Network Kitchens
Prep Time: 15 min Inactive Prep Time: -- Cook Time: 45 min Level:
Ingredients
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 slices bacon, minced
1 sweet onion, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
scant 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
5 cups chicken broth, homemade or low-sodium canned
1 (28-ounce) can whole, peeled tomatoes (with liquid), roughly chopped
3 parsley sprigs *
3 fresh thyme sprigs *
1 bay leaf *
1 cup heavy cream
1 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Directions
Heat the butter in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and cook, stirring, until crisp and most of the fat has rendered, about 1 minute. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate and set aside. Lower the heat to medium, add the onion, carrots, celery, and garlic and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until soft and fragrant, about 8 minutes.
Stir in the flour and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes. Pour in the broth and tomatoes and bring to a boil while whisking constantly. Tie the parsley sprigs, thyme, and bay leaf together with a piece of kitchen twine and add to the pot. Lower the heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.
When the soup base is cool, remove and discard the herb bundle. Working in batches, transfer the mixture to a blender and puree until smooth. Using a sieve over a large bowl, strain the tomato puree. Return the puree to the pot and reheat over medium heat.
Whisk the heavy cream and salt into the soup and season with pepper to taste. Divide among warm soup bowls and serve immediately.
** Note: I didn't have any fresh herbs on hand, so I bundled up 1 Tbls of Parsley, 1 Tbls of Thyme and 1 bay leaf into some cheese cloth, tied it off and threw it in.
I threw the crumbled bacon from the beginning of the recipe on top with some scallions and cheddar cheese. Ok, actually I had to make more bacon cause I had eaten that first batch while I was cooking. But hey, anything for soup!