Classic kid’s combo becomes grown-up comfort food
Sometimes a cookbook comes across my desk that is intriguing. Soup Swap (Chronicle Books, 2016) is one such book that is fun to read and really tasty to imagine. Author Kathy Gunst is a broadcaster and cookbook author, and she has fashioned this soup book into something different. She came up with a way to enjoy myriad soups with other soup makers via monthly soup dinners. Each guest or couple brings a soup to the dinner, making extra so that all the other guests take home the soup. That way everyone gets to have a tasting at the dinner and then can stack their freezers or fridges with other soups. It’s definitely, as she describes, a way to get through winter! Cold soups are also offered for warm-weather days. The introduction of Soup
Swap gives the reader coded recipes that include dairy free, gluten-free, vegan and vegetarian. There’s also information for soups that travel well, themes and portion sizes. I liked her recommendation for securing pot lids using a bungee cord or large rubber bands for no-spill traveling. No worries if you don’t feel like doing a traveling soup swap — the soups are delicious, and the author offers lots of helpful knowledge in her headnotes.
Below, I have included both the author’s and my ultimate comfort meal: tomato soup with grilled-cheese croutons on top. Looks like we both grew up on Campbell’s and have that vibrant taste memory.
You’ll notice Gunst has given two serving portions: for a tasting or a full portion. While it’s best to make this soup in the summer and fall, when fresh garden tomatoes are available, there are some acceptable winter-tomato substitutes such as good-quality organic canned tomatoes or hothousegrown organic winter tomatoes. Add a half teaspoon of sugar with the tomatoes if you are preparing this soup in winter. The adaptation of her grilledcheese croutons will appeal to kids, as well as grown-ups.
TOMATO SOUP WITH GRILLED CHEESE CROUTONS
Makes 8 to 10 tasting portions
or 6 full servings Can be served cold, vegan Ingredients: 2 medium leeks 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil 2 medium onions, thinly sliced 1 large shallot, chopped 2 pounds vine-ripened tomatoes Sea salt Freshly ground black pepper 4 cups vegetable stock 1/4 cup heavy cream (optional) Grilled Cheese Croutons, for garnish
(recipe follows) 1/3 cup fresh basil, cut into very fine ribbons, or 2 tablespoons finely chopped Italian parsley
Directions:
Trim the dark-green sections from the leeks, and save for making vegetable stock. Halve the pale-green and white sections lengthwise. Rinse under cold running water, pat dry, and cut crosswise into thin pieces.
In a large stockpot over low heat, warm the olive oil. Add the leeks, onions and shallot, and cook, stirring, for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, bring a pot of water to a boil over high heat. Cut a small X in the stem end of each tomato. Drop the tomatoes into the boiling water, and blanch them for about 20 seconds. Using a slotted spoon, transfer them to a colander to drain. When cool enough to handle, remove and discard the skin from the tomatoes, remove the core, and coarsely chop the flesh.
Add the tomatoes to the stockpot, season with salt and pepper, and cook for 5 minutes. Turn the heat to high, add the vegetable stock, and bring to a boil. Turn the heat to low, and simmer for 30 minutes. Remove from the heat, and let cool slightly.
Using a food processor or blender and working in batches, or using a handheld immersion blender, puree the soup until smooth. Return the soup to the pot, add the cream (if using), and simmer over low heat for about 10 minutes. If the soup is too thin or watery, simmer for about another 10 minutes, until slightly thickened. Taste and adjust the seasoning, adding more salt and pepper if needed.
Ladle the soup into mugs or bowls, and top each with 2 to 4 croutons or a half slice of open-faced crouton, if you prefer. Garnish with the basil or parsley, and serve.
To go: Prepare the croutons, but instead of adding the basil and cheese and broiling them, place them on a baking sheet, and cover with plastic wrap. Pack the basil and cheese separately. At the party, broil the croutons with the cheese, and sprinkle with the basil or parsley just before serving with the soup.
GRILLED CHEESE CROUTONS
Ingredients: 6 1/2- to 3/4-inch bread slices, white,
sourdough or any variety you like Olive-oil spray 6 fresh basil leaves, optional 1 cup freshly grated sharp cheddar, Parmesan, Gruyere or other hard cheese
Directions: Heat the broiler. Arrange the bread slices in a single layer on a baking sheet. Lightly spray the top of each slice with olive oil, and broil for about 1 1/2 minutes, or until golden brown.
Remove from the oven, flip the bread, and lightly spray the other side with oil. Top each slice with a basil leaf, if available, and sprinkle with an equal amount of cheese. Broil until the cheese is melted and bubbling, watching carefully that the cheese does not burn.
Sandwich two pieces of bread together, pressing them down, and cut each sandwich into 9 small grilledcheese croutons. You can also make these larger, if you prefer.