MONDAY
Cream of Roasted Tomato Soup | Bruschetta with Zucchini Butter
I am having a hard time getting back into the swing of “normal” life following our vacation. Hitting the pause button on the day-to-day routine was necessary and so refreshing but the fast-forward pace involved in re-entry has got me a bit overwhelmed…mail, laundry, re-stocking the refrigerator, laundry…SCHOOL STARTS IN TWO WEEKS…laundry. My pre-vacation mantra of “I’ll deal with that after vacation” is coming back to bite me.
The growing reality that the summer is winding down is being reinforced by the weather here lately in the San Francisco Bay area. We left the summer heat in Montana and have returned to heavy morning fog and high temperatures in the upper 60’s here at home. Today, chicken stock simmered on the stove and the aroma from roasting tomatoes and garlic filled the house. Following two weeks of travel, it is so nice to be cooking again…it is how I will get back into the rhythm of “home”.
Our cool, foggy weather is causing a bit of a delay in the ripening of our heirloom tomatoes. For this evening’s soup, I supplemented a few tomatoes from our own vines with the balance coming from our local market…
The secret to this soup is in the roasting {slow& low} of the tomatoes and garlic. The method is simple…core & quarter the tomatoes, toss with whole cloves of garlic {peels left on}, drizzle with olive oil, a sprinkling of salt and roast…but it will give you the sweetest, most intensely flavored sauce you can imagine…
The finishing touch to this simple soup: a rosemary-thyme infused oil…
Cream of Roasted Tomato Soup {adapted from Food52}
- 11 heirloom tomatoes, cored and quartered
- 6 cloves garlic
- ¼ cup olive oil, plus more for drizzling over the tomatoes
- Salt
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme
- 4-6 tablespoons heavy cream
- Coarsely ground black pepper
- Heat the oven to 250°F and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Lay the tomatoes cut-side down. Add the garlic cloves {with skins on}. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt. Roast for 2 hours and then remove the sheet from the oven and turn the tomatoes. Return to the oven and continue to roast until the tomatoes are soft and caramelized, about 2 more hours. Remove from the oven and let cool. {Note: at this point the tomatoes and garlic can be frozen to be enjoyed long after heirloom tomato season is over}.
- Add the ¼ cup olive oil, the rosemary and thyme to a small saucepan and place over low heat. Let warm until you begin smelling the herbs, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool.
- Peel the tomatoes {simply pinch the skins to remove} and add the pulp and juices to a soup pan. Squeeze the garlic from its skin and add to the pan. Place the pan over medium heat, and begin mashing the tomatoes with a potato masher until it’s pulpy, but not chunky {you can also use a handheld immersion blender or a food processor}. When the mixture is hot but not boiling, stir in the cream. Season to taste with salt. Ladle into bowls and season with pepper. Sprinkle a little herb oil on top of the soup. Serve with bruschetta {recipe follows}.
Zucchini is one of those garden dwellers that gives generously, often leaving the gardener asking “What do I do with all of this zucchini”? After six, eight or twelve loaves of zucchini bread it is time to move on to something new and this recipe at Food52 recently caught my eye. A simple preparation involving just a few ingredients yields a condiment that makes a fabulous topping for bruschetta {how we enjoyed it this evening}, pizza, and burgers as well as a tasty accompaniment to chicken and even eggs.
Zucchini Butter {adapted from Food52}
- 2 pounds zucchini or assorted summer squash
- ¼ cup butter
- 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 minced shallot
- 3 cloves of garlic, pushed through a press
- Salt and pepper
- Coarsely grate the zucchini. Let it drain in a colander for 3 to 4 minutes and then squeeze the water out of the zucchini by wringing it in a clean cloth towel.
- In a deep skillet, heat the olive oil & butter. Sauté the shallots and garlic briefly. Add the zucchini and toss. Cook and stir over medium to medium-high heat until the zucchini reaches a spreadable consistency, about 15 minutes. The zucchini will hold its bright green color and slowly caramelize into a nice vegetable jam. Serve as a topping on toasted baguette slices.
The finished dinner plate…
