Creamy Tomato Soup with Brandy
This tomato soup is classic. It uses French and Italian herbs, orange peel, and coriander to give a sunny hint of summer for cold winter nights. Roasting the tomatoes brings extra sweetness to this soup. The addition of Brandy and cream make it rich and unique.
If you are a soup connoisseur, this is your tomato soup. I’ve combined techniques from many recipes (Julia Child’s tomato sauce, Cook’s Illustrated tomato soup, and my tomato soup) to create what, I think, is the perfectly balanced tomato soup. Add croutons or serve it with grilled cheese or the pecan cheese crisps I posted two weeks ago (my favorite side for this soup).
This soup is perfect for weeknights or weekends around the fire. This recipe serves 4.
Gather these ingredients and start cooking.
2 (28-ounce) cans whole tomatoes, drained and juice reserved
1 1/2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 large shallots, minced
1 tablespoon tomato paste
Pinch of ground all spice
1 3/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
6 sprigs parsley
6 sprigs basil
1 teaspoon coriander seed
1/4 teaspoon fennel seed
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram
2 3-inch piece (about 1 teaspoon diced) orange peel
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons brandy or dry sherry
Salt
Cayenne pepper to taste
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Adjust the oven rack to the upper-middle of the oven. Spread the tomatoes in single layer over a foil lined rimmed baking sheet and sprinkle evenly with brown sugar. Bake the tomatoes until all the liquid has evaporated and tomatoes begin to color, about 30 minutes. Let them cool slightly.
While the tomatoes are baking, melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add shallots, allspice, and tomato paste. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until shallots are softened, 7 to 10 minutes. Add flour and cook, stirring constantly, until thoroughly combined, about 30 seconds. Gradually add chicken broth while whisking constantly to mix and to avoid lumping. Stir in the reserved tomato juice and roasted tomatoes. Cover, increase the heat to medium, and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally for 10 minutes.
Using an immersion blender, blend the soup till smooth. You can do this using a traditional blender. Let the soup cool and blend carefully in small batches. If you don’t have an immersion blender, it is time to splurge.
Place the parsley, basil, fennel, thyme, marjoram, bay leaf, and orange peel into a piece of cheesecloth and tie with kitchen twine to create a bouquet garni. Toss it in the soup in simmer on low for 1 hour or up to 3 hours for the full effect of herbs. Turn off the heat and remove the bouquet garni (give it a good squeeze).
Let the soup cool for 10 minutes. Stir in the cream over low heat until hot, about 3 minutes. Turn off the heat, stir in brandy. Season with salt and a pinch of cayenne to taste. Serve immediately with crusty bread or croutons.
To make ahead, the soup can be prepared through removing the bouquet garni. Then it can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 2 months before adding the cream and bandy. To complete the recipe, reheat the soup over low heat before adding the cream and brandy as directed.