What a crazy month. I finished my first year of PhD, ran a half marathon, and moved our five bedroom house across town into an old bed and breakfast. I love our new house; it has all of these old nooks and crannies, and I have been able to do a lot of home improvement. The kitchen is of course the first thing I set up in a new house. Because I have a little more free time, I have been taking the time to make the elaborate dishes that I never have time for. A massive pile of fresh corn tortillas, vegan French onion soup, and leek broth have made it on the menu in the last two weeks.
Tonight, I made something simple: grilled cheese and tomato soup. Y'all know how I feel about tomatoes, so I started with Muir Glen fire roasted tomatoes. For tomato soup, I wanted to achieve deep flavor, and eliminate the taste of canned tomatoes. I have recently been reminded about the importance of using the secret weapons that make things tasty. This is especially important for vegetarian and vegan foods that unfortunately, can sometimes be bland. Here are my secret weapons of flavor:
1. Herbs. If they are available to you, buy as many fresh herbs as you can. Today, I have used both thyme and tarragon I bought at a farmers market. For thicker, woody herbs, crush them to get all of their flavor. With thyme and rosemary, I like to crush it into salt if I am not cooking with them (if they don't hit the heat).
2. Spices. Be sure to toast the spices to release any oils.
3. Fats. AVOCADOOOOOO. Sorry about that, I can't help myself. Because it adds calories, I try to be intelligent about the fats I use. If the onions and veg don't need a lot of olive oil, I save that fat for cheese on toast, or avocado in my salad. While I am judicious with the fat I cook with, we absolutely need fat to absorb nutrients, and our brain, skin, and other organs need it too! It's delicious. Don't be afraid of fat.
4. Salt. Salt brings out the flavor of food. If you are cooking at home, you are already eating much less salt than you would otherwise. If you need to avoid salt, make it front and center on the dish. I usually chronically under salt, and then add it as I am eating (unless I am cooking for someone else.)
This tomato soup uses all of these principles of flavor.
2 sprigs of thyme
1 can diced fire roasted tomatoes
1 c white wine
1 white onion
Cumin
Paprika
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
1 streak of olive oil
Fresh ground pepper
Salt
Sweat the onion for five minutes. Add the spices and thyme sprigs (whole) and the crushed garlic. Deglaze the pot with the white wine and let it reduce. Add the tomatoes and simmer as long as you can stand it. Remove the thyme, and blend up the soup.
Tonight, I made something simple: grilled cheese and tomato soup. Y'all know how I feel about tomatoes, so I started with Muir Glen fire roasted tomatoes. For tomato soup, I wanted to achieve deep flavor, and eliminate the taste of canned tomatoes. I have recently been reminded about the importance of using the secret weapons that make things tasty. This is especially important for vegetarian and vegan foods that unfortunately, can sometimes be bland. Here are my secret weapons of flavor:
1. Herbs. If they are available to you, buy as many fresh herbs as you can. Today, I have used both thyme and tarragon I bought at a farmers market. For thicker, woody herbs, crush them to get all of their flavor. With thyme and rosemary, I like to crush it into salt if I am not cooking with them (if they don't hit the heat).
2. Spices. Be sure to toast the spices to release any oils.
3. Fats. AVOCADOOOOOO. Sorry about that, I can't help myself. Because it adds calories, I try to be intelligent about the fats I use. If the onions and veg don't need a lot of olive oil, I save that fat for cheese on toast, or avocado in my salad. While I am judicious with the fat I cook with, we absolutely need fat to absorb nutrients, and our brain, skin, and other organs need it too! It's delicious. Don't be afraid of fat.
4. Salt. Salt brings out the flavor of food. If you are cooking at home, you are already eating much less salt than you would otherwise. If you need to avoid salt, make it front and center on the dish. I usually chronically under salt, and then add it as I am eating (unless I am cooking for someone else.)
This tomato soup uses all of these principles of flavor.
2 sprigs of thyme
1 can diced fire roasted tomatoes
1 c white wine
1 white onion
Cumin
Paprika
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
1 streak of olive oil
Fresh ground pepper
Salt
Sweat the onion for five minutes. Add the spices and thyme sprigs (whole) and the crushed garlic. Deglaze the pot with the white wine and let it reduce. Add the tomatoes and simmer as long as you can stand it. Remove the thyme, and blend up the soup.
