Cremona's Kitchen

It’s that time of the year where everyone is either sick, getting over a sickness, or is about to be sick.  No gusta.  This sickness cloud sat over our house for a couple days last week.  Matt couldn’t get out of bed.  I went home from work early (a true sign of sickness–I’ve never called in sick or went home early from work since I was 16).  Now that we can stomach food again, I had the urge to make some comfort food.

With my health back, I was ready for a challenge.  I’ve been wanting to make homemade tomato pesto soup for quite some time after having a delicious tomato pesto at Crave, a local restaurant.  And this recipe not only met my expectations, it surpassed it.  To my surprise, this recipe isn’t as challenging as I thought it was going to be.  Sure, there are multiple steps.  You need a hand blender.  And lots of tomatoes.  But most of the work involving waiting rather than mincing and chopping.

Honestly, this soup may be the best thing I’ve made thus far.  It tasted like Italy.  So natural, fresh, and basily. Perfect. I couldn’t stop bragging about it.  I texted pictures to family and friends.  Blabbed about it at work.  But it was so fucking good.

Ok, enough of my shameless face shoving.  Go make your own batch so you can do the same!

Ingredients

• 6lbs tomatoes, on the vine
• 8 garlic cloves, whole in paper
• ½ cup of olive oil
• 4 Tablespoons butter
• 2 large yellow onions, roughly chopped
• handful of basil
• 4 cups chicken stock
• 1 cup heavy cream
• kosher salt

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Place tomatoes on a baking pan and sprinkle with salt and olive oil.  Arrange garlic cloves around the tomatoes.

Roast in oven for 3o minutes.  Remove from oven and let cool.

In a large pot, melt butter and onions.  Cook until tender.

Squeeze garlic from the paper and remove stems and vines.  Add tomatoes, garlic, and juices into pot.

Add the handful of basil to pot.  Add chicken stock to pot and place heat up to medium-high, cooking for 15 minutes.

Remove soup from heat.  Using an immersion blender, puree soup until smooth.  Stir (not blend) in heavy whipping cream.

Season with salt to taste.  Serve hot with Parmesan cheese.  Enjoy!

Source: Heather Christo Cooks