TOMATO SOUP
WITH BUTTER CROUTONS
Servings: 4 – 6
Ingredients:
For the soup:
1 kg ripe tomatoes, diced
2 onions, halved and sliced
2 garlic cloves, diced
2 tbsp olive oil
2 cups vegetable stock
sugar, to taste
salt, to taste
black pepper, to taste
1 bay leaf, dried
dried oregano, to taste
dried basil, to taste
For the croutons:
2 tbsp butter
4 slices sandwich bread, cubed
Instruction:
- Heat the oil, over medium heat in a big saucepan, add onions and cook for 4 – 5 minutes or until tender. Add garlic, cook for 30 seconds.
- Add tomatoes, vegetable stock, sugar, salt, black pepper, bay leaf and oregano. Cover and simmer for 15 – 20 minutes.
- Remove the bay leaf and with a hand blender puree into a soup.
- Make croutons; in a frying pan, melt butter, add cubed bread and toast until golden brown, stirring constantly.
- Plate the soup, add butter croutons and sprinkle with basil. Serve immediately.
Entertaining tips:
- If serving Tomato Soup as a part of a dinner course, add the croutons to a plate just before serving.
- If serving the soup at the buffet table or food station, keep it in a food warmer with Butter Croutons on the side along with dried basil.
- In my experience, children love tomato soup, but I wouldn’t sprinkle dried basil over it, especially if children are at young age.
- The soup is great if unexpected guests are arriving, because it is easy to make but will amaze any guest at your table.
- You can make the soup and croutons a day before the party and keep them in a refrigerator. Reheat the soup on the stove and croutons in the oven.