Tomato Basil Soup with Fried Cheddar
You'll never go back to canned soup! (Well, you might if it's really hot out...)
Tomato basil soup with fried cheddar
Time: 1 hr | Difficulty: 3/5 | Yield: 1 bowl of soup
Making soup from scratch might seem like a big task—chopping, blending, simmering, etc. But the majority of the work is actually done in the pot, while you lounge on the couch and wait! This tomato soup is silky and creamy and fully vegetarian, and it’s perfect for summer. I recommend using a fresh, meaty heirloom tomato—the type that you can SMELL when you cut into it! The fried cheddar on top is of course optional, but it’s a great way to make this feel more like a full meal (and a fun substitute for grilled cheese). And yes, this recipe does use an immersion blender. If anyone is hesitant about the immersion blender, I want to convert you!! The clean-up is easier, it’s smaller, and it’s way simpler for one person to use. Get on board the immersion blender train!!
Ingredients/Tools:
For the soup:
1/4 white onion
2 garlic cloves
1 heirloom tomato (should be about the size of your palm)
Butter
1 tbsp flour
A splash of white wine
1 cup of water or stock
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 tsp sugar
1/4 cup basil leaves
Immersion blender
For the fried cheese:
6 squares of cheddar (I recommend using the pre-sliced ones from Cabot!)
Flour
Panko breadcrumbs
1 egg
Vegetable oil
Method:
Prepare the cheese: Stack two slices on top of each other, then coat them in the flour, then egg, then breadcrumbs. Then dip once again in the egg and again in the breadcrumbs. You’ll end up with three chunks of breaded cheese! Place the cheese in the freezer while you prepare the soup.
Dice the onion and the tomato, and slice the garlic. (No need to chop too finely, as you’ll be blending it all later.)
Add 1 tbsp of butter to a pot and heat, then add the onion.
Once the onion starts sweating, add in the garlic.
As the garlic starts to brown, add the tbsp of flour. Stir it all together and let the flour toast nicely, for about 30 seconds.
Add the splash of wine to deglaze the bottom of the pan.
Tip in the tomato, and as much of the juice as possible. Add salt and pepper, and sauté for about a minute, then add the water or stock.
Bring to a simmer, then cover and cook for about 15 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes or so to prevent anything from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
Remove the lid, and transfer the soup to an immersion blender. Add the basil leaves to the blender as well, and blend everything until smooth.
Transfer the blended soup back into the pot. Add the heavy cream and sugar, and taste to see if any more seasonings are needed. Cover and simmer for about 10 minutes.
While the soup is simmering, fry the cheese: Heat vegetable oil in a small skillet (only about 1/2 an inch of oil is needed). Test the heat with a few extra breadcrumbs—once they’re sizzling, the oil should be hot enough.
Add in the cheese squares, flipping once or twice to fully cook. Drain on a paper towel.
Serve the soup with the cheese on top!