Tomato Soup

With the first frost a few nights ago on October 19th, the season of vibrant summer tomatoes and peppers is quickly on the descent. What I love about eating seasonally is the appreciation it brings. An acceptance of change as we march through the different cycles with the sun. A savoring and letting go, knowing summer will return once again.

This electric red, orange and yellow tomato soup is my exclamation point to the summer harvest as I turn toward darker days and the storage crops of winter.

Ingredients:

Olive oil

1 medium onion chopped

10 medium tomatoes halved

1 pint of cherry tomatoes halved

2 small bulbs of garlic with top cut off

3 red peppers halved

1 large bunch of basil, leaves removed from the stem

2 tsp Italian seasonings

2 tablespoons tomato paste

Salt/ Pepper to taste

24-32 oz bone broth

Instructions:

Place the tomatoes, peppers and garlic on a cookie sheet or cast iron skillets. My cherry tomatoes didn’t fit in my pan so I added them later. Drizzle with olive oil and a generous pinch of salt. Place in a 450 degree onion and roast until beginning to brown, 30-40 min.

Meanwhile, in a large, thick-bottomed pot over medium low heat, add a splash of olive oil. When the oil is warm, add the onions with a generous pinch of salt and grind of pepper. Sauté for a few minutes. Keep going until the onions soften up and start to take on a bit of color. Add the tomato paste, Italian spices, and cherries tomatoes with another generous pinch of salt and grind of pepper.

Remove the ingredients from the oven and toss them into the pot. Add the bone broth. The broth should just cover the other ingredients. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a gentle simmer. Cover with a lid and cook for 10-15 minutes just to bring the flavors together.

Remove from the heat and allow to cool a fews minutes. Add the basil. Puree with a hand immersion blender until smooth, or alternately, transfer to a high-speed blender. If too thick, add water to thin the consistency. Add more salt and pepper to taste.