I’m in appliance envy. When today’s guest blogger, Naomi, sent me the pics for this post, I saw her immersion blender and drooled. Appliance envy. I get that a lot when I watch Alton Brown’s Good Eats. He has the coolest stuff. It looks like Naomi has some too. Take a look at this great post that when Naomi first told me about the recipe, I have been bugging her to write up. Here’s Naomi…
A few years ago I decided to start a small herb and tomato garden with my daughters. I need to clarify: we lived in a small two-bedroom apartment in the North East with no outdoor space except for a French Balcony. The plants were to be grown indoors. As a native Californian I’m still sometimes oblivious to seasons, so for some reason I planted in the Winter. And to our surprise … the cherry tomato plant grew. In a small pot by a sunny window, one stem emerged. It grew one tomato and flowers. We had a family celebration in which we together harvested and ate our one tomato.
Some time later, as part of my work I was leading a discussion about hope. Each person was supposed to draw or write about an image or word that symbolized hope for him/her. I drew a picture of my beautiful little tomato plant, with its lavender flower and its one cherry tomato. Everyone loved it – it meant beating the odds, thriving despite the cold of winter.
As a child my siblings and I used to cut tomatoes into wedges and sprinkle them with salt before devouring them. When I discovered this recipe for Roasted Tomato Soup it became an instant favorite for my family.
 Roasted Tomato Soup
Ingredients:
20 medium Roma (Italian plum) tomatoes (4 lbs. / 2kg), washed and quartered
1 large red onion, peeled and cubed
10 cloves garlic
2 Tbsp. / 25 mL fresh oregano, washed and dried
½ cup / 125 mL fresh basil (firmly packed)
1 ½ tsp. / 7 mL salt
½ tsp. / 2 mL black pepper
¼ cup / 50 mL olive oil
2 cups / 500 mL water
½ cup / 15 mL 2% milk
Directions:
Sour cream is a great garnish. This soup would also be great with some crunchy, garlicky homemade croutons.
METHOD
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). In an ovenproof dish, toss the tomatoes, onion, garlic, herbs, salt, pepper and oil together and roast, uncovered, for 20 minutes.
Add water and return to the oven for another 20 minutes.
Puree the soup. I like to transfer the roasted tomato mixture directly to a pot and then puree it with an immersion blender. I often leave the texture a little course.
Add the milk and heat the soup through on the stove.
(From Pam Reiss’ Soup: A Kosher Collection)
Rantings of an Amateur Chef 
YUM!!!
LikeLike
love your tomato story:-)
LikeLike
That story about the tomato plant was hilarious! As a fan of tomato soup, I’ll have to give your recipe a try as a nice change from Tomato and Garlic soup.
LikeLike
Love the tomato story too!
LikeLike
I also have appliance envy. I’ve been craving some tomato basil soup from La Madeleine for weeks. (There are no La Madeleine’s in Nashville.) This recipe looks perfect.
LikeLike
I have the same immersion blender and I use it all the time. I am currently coveting mandoline slicers and the Vitamix blender!
LikeLike
I loved the story. This reminds me to go to the farmer’s market tomorrow especially for some beautiful tomatoes
LikeLike