Recipe and text excerpted from Grilled Cheese Kitchen by Heidi Gibson with Nate Pollak. Published by Chronicle Books, 2016. Copyright © 2016 Heidi Gibson and Nate Pollak. Photographs Copyright © 2016 by Antonis Achilleos.
This simple, smooth tomato soup is the result of months of dedicated testing. I wanted the ultimate dipping soup: smooth and savory, with an acidic bite and chile kick to balance out a rich and hearty grilled cheese. I tried dozens of combinations of spices before I hit on the combination of smoky Spanish pimentón and the complex, fruity chile from Basque country in France called piment d’Espelette, both well known to enhance the flavor of tomatoes.
Strained tomatoes are a very smooth purée, and are key to the texture and simplicity of this soup. We like Pomi and Strianese brands, which can be found in many grocery stores. Top with your favorite croutons to add a little crunch. You can make this soup gluten-free by simply substituting gluten-free flour mix for the all-purpose flour.
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| 6 people |
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Strained tomatoes are a very smooth purée, and are key to the texture and simplicity of this soup. We like Pomi and Strianese brands, which can be found in many grocery stores. Top with your favorite croutons to add a little crunch. You can make this soup gluten-free by simply substituting gluten-free flour mix for the all-purpose flour.
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Ingredients
- 3 Tbsp. salted butter
- 2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp. sugar
- 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp. pimentón (smoked paprika)
- 1/2 tsp. piment d'Espelette chili powder or cayenne pepper
- 3-1/4 cups [780 ml] strained tomatoes
- 2-1/4 cups [540 ml] chicken stock
- 1 tsp. balsamic vinegar
- crème fraîche, sour cream, or plain Greek yogurt for garnish
Servings: people
Instructions
- In a small soup pot over medium-low heat, melt the butter. When the butter is melted, whisk in the flour, sugar, salt, pimentón, and piment d’Espelette. Cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture has a nutty, savory aroma, about 3 minutes.
- Whisk the strained tomatoes, chicken stock, and vinegar into the butter mixture until smooth. Raise the heat to bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally, and simmer gently for about 5 minutes.
- Ladle the soup into bowls, garnish with a dollop of crème fraiche, and serve immediately.
