Pablo Neruda & Tomatoes

The tomato displays its remarkable amplitude and abundance, no pit, no husk, no leaves or thorns, the tomato offers its gift of fiery color and cool completeness.  

- Pablo Neruda

Happily, I am now enjoying the amplitude & abundance of the luscious cherry tomatoes started from seed earlier this year as well as lots of basil.  

Today I am makng a roasted tomato & basil soup adapted from an Ina Garten recipe:

Ingredients

• 3-4 pounds ripe cherry tomatoes

• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 tablespoon sea salt

• 1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

• 2 cups minced yellow onions 

• 6 minced cloves of garlic 

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

• 4 cups fresh shredded Basil leaves

• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

• 1 quart chicken stock

Directions

 Toss the tomatoes with 1/4 cup olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread the tomatoes in 1 layer on a baking sheet and roast in a 400 degree oven for 10-15 minutes until the tomatoes collapse.

Saute the onions & garlic with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 2 tablespoons of butter, and red pepper flakes for 10 minutes, until the onions begin to caramelize.   Add the basil, thyme, chicken stock and oven-roasted tomatoes with their accumulated liquid. Bring to a boil and simmer for 30 minutes.  Blend with an immersion blender.  Garnish with basil pesto (see 4/23/11 post). 

Now off to pick some blackberries for dessert!