As I have mentioned before, I no longer live in Texas, and lived there only by duress. However, while in Texas I ate at a restaurant called La Madeline’s. Now, that particular chain is justifiably known for its tomato-basil soup. It’s terrible for you in a caloric sense, but oh so good for you in a tastiness and joy sense! Of course, La Madeline’s does not yet exist in my current city, so I decided to recreate their soup as best I could. My version is a little thinner and smoother than theirs, but it is still very tasty. It is particularly good with a nice crusty bread, be that whole grain, multi-grain or white. The important part is the chewy crust!

So, I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do. You’ll get pictures when I get home again, as I’m currently visiting relatives and thus without my camera :D.

Tomato-Basil Soup


Ingredients:
  • 4 cups chopped tomatoes (canned is okay, especially if the fresh tomatoes aren’t in season and thus aren’t very good)
  • 2 cups tomato juice
  • 1 cup vegetable broth
  • 12-14 fresh basil leaves (cannot substitute dried)
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • salt to taste
Directions:
1. Combine chopped tomatoes, tomato juice, and vegetable broth in a soup pot and simmer for 30 min. Remove from heat and cool slightly.
2. Add the basil leaves to the soup and blend until smooth, either by transferring the soup to a blender or using an immersion blender.
3. Return the soup to the pot (if you transferred it to a blender) at medium-low heat (up to medium heat depending on your stove) and add the cream, butter, pepper and salt. Heat until warm through and well incorporated, stirring frequently. Enjoy!

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