Peasant tomato soup
4 servings
Ingredients
| Quantity | Ingredient | |
|---|---|---|
| ¼ | pounds | Carrots (2 medium-size), trimmed, scraped and cut into 2-inch pieces |
| ¼ | pounds | Yellow onion (1 small or 1/2 large), peeled & quartered |
| ¼ | pounds | Fennel bulb, trimmed and pared with a potato peeler |
| 3 | Cloves garlic, peeled and smashed | |
| 2 | tablespoons | Olive oil |
| 1 | pounds | Canned tomatoes with thick puree |
| 1 | tablespoon | Cornstarch |
| 2 | cups | Chicken broth |
| 1 | teaspoon | Coarse (kosher) salt |
| 1½ | tablespoon | Freshly squeezed lemon juice |
| Fresh basil leaves, washed and shredded, to taste | ||
Directions
Coarsely chop the carrots, onion, fennel and garlic in a food processor. Place the vegetables in a microwavable 2½-quart ceramic or glass souffle dish. Add the oil and stir to mix well. Microcook, uncovered, on High (100% power) for 4 minutes.
Meanwhile puree the tomatoes, with juices, in a food processor or a blender. Dissolve the cornstarch in the chicken broth. Add the pureed tomatoes and the cornstarch mixture to the vegetables. Cover thightly with polyvinyl plastic wrap and microcook on High for 7 minutes. Carefully pierce the plastic wrap with a knife to release the steam, then remove the wrap. Season the soup with the slat, lemon juice and shredded basil (if using). Serve the soup hot or cold.
Low-Wattage Variation: Cook the vegetables and oil for 6 minutes.
Cook the soup, covered, for 10 minutes. Finish as above.
Makes 4 cups.
[Microwave Cooking; Barbara Kafka] [The New York Times; April 6, 1988] Posted by Fred Peters.