The Best Tomato Bisque EVER!
Thursday, September 2, 2010
As I sit here with a bowl of the best tasting tomato bisque to ever take up residence in my mouth and stomach, I feel the need to have to share said bisque with the world...or at least the two other people who read my blog. HA!
I adapted the recipe from a Food Network tomato bisque recipe, but as most bisque's go, I usually find they are bland. But I got a little ballsy this time.
The Food Network recipe is pretty good--if you enjoy lifeless tomato slop. Here's their list of ingredients, with my interjection highlighted.
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon minced bacon (about 1/2 ounce)
They ask you to take the bacon aside and don't touch on the topic again. I threw in the bacon before I put the cream in so it could be blended in all its goodness.
1 Spanish onion, chopped
I had only very small Spanish onions as I grow them on the balcony, so I basically added half a cup of Spanish onions roughly chopped. I also added a small yellow onion too.
1 carrot, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
I actually added 6 cloves, and at the end of the bisque's simmering, I added garlic powder as well. I like garlic. Might I add that if you are NOT a garlic-a-holic, stick to 4 cloves.
5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
5 cups chicken broth, homemade or low-sodium canned
I actually only used one carton of chicken broth, which is about 4 cups. At the end I added a little water to make up. I didn't want to open two cartons of broth to only throw the other away.
1 (28-ounce) can whole, peeled tomatoes (with liquid), roughly chopped
3 parsley sprigs
I was too lazy to pick parsley from the balcony, so I didn't add any.
3 fresh thyme sprigs
I put half tsp of dried thyme.
1 bay leaf
I put half tsp of dried bay leaf.
1 cup heavy cream
I used one 250ml carton of whipping cream
1 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Sea salt is OK. I used it.
Freshly ground black pepper
Don't be afraid to add extra VEGGIES to this beautiful soup! honest to goodness, I added 4-5 mushrooms, a Carmen pepper and about a cup of cauliflower because, hey, your blending it anyway!
I also added a small can of TOMATO paste, because I didn't like the color of the soup before I added cream. I felt that there should be more tomato taste. But because I added tomato paste, you need to balance the acidity, so I added about 1/4 cup of sugar and another half tsp of salt.
Directions
Heat the butter in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and cook, stirring, until crisp and most of the fat has rendered, about 1 minute. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate and set aside. Lower the heat to medium, add the onion, carrots, celery, and garlic and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until soft and fragrant, about 8 minutes.
Stir in the flour and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes. Pour in the broth and tomatoes and bring to a boil while whisking constantly. Tie the parsley sprigs, thyme, and bay leaf together with a piece of kitchen twine and add to the pot. Lower the heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.
When the soup base is cool, remove and discard the herb bundle. Working in batches, transfer the mixture to a blender and puree until smooth. Using a sieve over a large bowl, strain the tomato puree. Return the puree to the pot and reheat over medium heat.
Whisk the heavy cream and salt into the soup and season with pepper to taste. Divide among warm soup bowls and serve immediately.
Copyright 2000 Television Food Network, G.P. All rights reserved
I adapted the recipe from a Food Network tomato bisque recipe, but as most bisque's go, I usually find they are bland. But I got a little ballsy this time.
The Food Network recipe is pretty good--if you enjoy lifeless tomato slop. Here's their list of ingredients, with my interjection highlighted.
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon minced bacon (about 1/2 ounce)
They ask you to take the bacon aside and don't touch on the topic again. I threw in the bacon before I put the cream in so it could be blended in all its goodness.
1 Spanish onion, chopped
I had only very small Spanish onions as I grow them on the balcony, so I basically added half a cup of Spanish onions roughly chopped. I also added a small yellow onion too.
1 carrot, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
I actually added 6 cloves, and at the end of the bisque's simmering, I added garlic powder as well. I like garlic. Might I add that if you are NOT a garlic-a-holic, stick to 4 cloves.
5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
5 cups chicken broth, homemade or low-sodium canned
I actually only used one carton of chicken broth, which is about 4 cups. At the end I added a little water to make up. I didn't want to open two cartons of broth to only throw the other away.
1 (28-ounce) can whole, peeled tomatoes (with liquid), roughly chopped
3 parsley sprigs
I was too lazy to pick parsley from the balcony, so I didn't add any.
3 fresh thyme sprigs
I put half tsp of dried thyme.
1 bay leaf
I put half tsp of dried bay leaf.
1 cup heavy cream
I used one 250ml carton of whipping cream
1 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Sea salt is OK. I used it.
Freshly ground black pepper
Don't be afraid to add extra VEGGIES to this beautiful soup! honest to goodness, I added 4-5 mushrooms, a Carmen pepper and about a cup of cauliflower because, hey, your blending it anyway!
I also added a small can of TOMATO paste, because I didn't like the color of the soup before I added cream. I felt that there should be more tomato taste. But because I added tomato paste, you need to balance the acidity, so I added about 1/4 cup of sugar and another half tsp of salt.
Directions
Heat the butter in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and cook, stirring, until crisp and most of the fat has rendered, about 1 minute. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate and set aside. Lower the heat to medium, add the onion, carrots, celery, and garlic and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until soft and fragrant, about 8 minutes.
Stir in the flour and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes. Pour in the broth and tomatoes and bring to a boil while whisking constantly. Tie the parsley sprigs, thyme, and bay leaf together with a piece of kitchen twine and add to the pot. Lower the heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.
When the soup base is cool, remove and discard the herb bundle. Working in batches, transfer the mixture to a blender and puree until smooth. Using a sieve over a large bowl, strain the tomato puree. Return the puree to the pot and reheat over medium heat.
Whisk the heavy cream and salt into the soup and season with pepper to taste. Divide among warm soup bowls and serve immediately.
Copyright 2000 Television Food Network, G.P. All rights reserved
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