This soup is the perfect transition from summer to fall
I don’t know about you, but I’m having trouble saying goodbye to summer this year. I am usually ready for fall well before it arrives. But our little family has created so many memories this summer; it’s hard to let go. I’m not sure if it is the lawn & patio we added to our yard, or that this was a summer olympics year, or that our three-year old son has developed the most amazing spirited (and opinionated) personality. Or maybe it’s that this was a big milestone year for our family (70th birthday for my Dad, retirement for my mother-in-law). Whatever it is, I will miss it. I will miss watching our son light up as he sprints through the sprinklers while making very realistic race car noises. I will miss all the late afternoon and pre-dusk moments when I was throwing together yet another fruit & cheese platter and my husband was tending to our roses (mr. green thumb). I’ll miss rooting for Team U.S.A. and watching our son imitate the swimmers (‘reach and pull’!). And I’ll miss all the extra daylight that allowed us to have impromptu BBQ’s on any night of the week.
There was a chill in the air last week. And it almost kickstarted me into the fall season, but it was quickly interrupted by a few 90 degree days. And I hear we’re in for more hot days this weekend. So it seems that even the weather is caught somewhere between summer and fall (‘fummer’ or ‘sall’, which one do you like better??). If you’re in season limbo like me, take your time to savor these last few summer days. Although it may seem like it, you’re not required to have a pumpkin spice latte quite yet. Or a pumpkin macchiato or whatever new pumpkin drink is available. In full disclosure, I am usually part of the pumpkin spice latte as early as possible camp, just not this year, not yet.
If you are in the mood for soup though, this heirloom tomato is a perfect late summer dish, not to mention it’s super easy to whip up. The heirloom colors and natural sweetness are 100% summer. And I incorporated ground cloves and black pepper for a little spice and warmth (ok, fall is creeping in a little bit). I hope you enjoy this soup with a nice crispy, buttery, (and of course cheesy) grilled cheese. And a side of grilled corn because it’s still summer, at least for 10 more days.
Oh and one side-note. A roux is part of the recipe. Now I know the first time I heard the word roux, I was very intimidated. But don’t be. It’s just a fancy way of saying that we’re thickening the soup with flour and butter (or another type of fat). You can do it friends! But if you still don’t want to and you don’t need the extra thickness (or extra butter/flour), that’s ok too. There are other ways to thicken soup and we can totally have an offline conversation about that sometime soon.
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion (about 1 cup, chopped)
- 2 garlic cloves (sliced)
- 4 cups heirloom tomatoes (quartered)
- ¼ teaspoon of ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon of ground pepper
- 4 cups heirloom tomatoes (quartered)
- 2 cups of chicken (or vegetable) broth
- 1 tablespoon sweetener (sugar or agave syrup)
- Salt
- For the roux: 2 tablespoons of butter, 4 tablespoons of flour
- Optional toppings: Fresh herbs like basil & flat leaf parsley, shredded jack cheese, croutons (store-bought or homemade)
- In a large stockpot, heat olive oil over medium-high heat.
- Add onion, garlic, ground cloves, ground pepper, and a pinch of salt. Sauté for 3-4 minutes.
- Add the heirloom tomatoes, 1 teaspoon of salt, and broth. Bring to a boil; then lower the heat and simmer (uncovered) for 15 minutes.
- Place the heirloom tomato mixture into a blender and blend until smooth.
- For the roux: In the same large stockpot (that is now empty), melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add all the flour and stir vigourously for 2-3 minutes. As the mixture comes together and begins to bubble, lower the heat and whisk slowly for another 2 minutes.
- Add some of the heirloom tomato mixture (about a cup) back to the pot (this gradual process helps to avoid lumps). Pour in the rest of the heirloom mixture, stir and simmer on low heat for another 5 minutes.
- Add the sweetener and stir to combine. Do a final test for salt to taste.
- Serve with optional toppings and enjoy!
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