Preview recipe featured in Nesting Newbies Magazine, Winter ’10

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“I have tomato cream soup for lunch a few times a week, even in the summer! My recipe includes a bit of brandy—you’ll love it! Use a hand immersion blender so you can easily blend the ingredients without having to remove them from the crockpot.”

Brandied Tomato Cream
Serves: 6 to 8

Ingredients:
1 cup onion, diced
½ cup carrot, peeled and diced
½ cup celery, diced
¼ cup all-purpose flour
1 6-ounce can tomato paste
1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes
4 cups chicken broth
½ tablesoon dried dill
½ tablespoon dried basil
1 ½ teaspoons sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1 cup heavy whipping cream
¼ cup cognac brandy
1 garlic clove, minced
fresh ground pepper to taste

(1) In a 10- to 12-inch frying pan over medium-high heat sauté onion, carrot, and celery in butter until soft, stirring occasionally, about 6 minutes.
(2) Add flour to onion mixture; cook until flour is lightly golden about 1 minute.
(3) Add tomato paste to onion mixture; continue cooking another 2 minutes.
(4) Transfer onion mixture to a 5- to 7-quart slow cooker insert; add diced tomatoes, chicken broth, dried dill, dried basil, sugar, and salt; cover and place insert in slow cooker heating base. Cook on low for 4 hours.
(5) Add cream, brandy, garlic, fresh ground pepper to taste, cook on low for an additional 30 minutes.
(6) Using a handheld immersion blender, purée until smooth and creamy.* Serve.
*Option: If you don’t have a blender, enjoy your soup country style (unblended).

Photography By: Michael Soo