Cynthia Ferris-Bennett: Warm, wintry, welcoming tomato basil soup (recipe)

Cold outside, what do you want? Soup. Not feeling well, what will make you feel better? Soup. A comfort food that is easy to make and satisfying? Soup. Soup has a long, strong association with a sense of comfort and wellbeing … but why?

It’s not all in your head, research has shown that soup warms you from the inside out making you feel safe and comforted. When you are not feeling well, soup, being more liquid than most foods, helps with rehydration, nutrition and is easy to digest.

Maybe it is also a memory from your childhood, the smell of broth wafting from mom’s kitchen knowing that someone cared enough to make that soup from scratch … or in some cases, opening a can of Campbells (my mom’s favorite but it still counts). Either way, soup imparts a sense of warmth and wellbeing.

Soup is also that easy one-pot dish where you just add ingredients and wait for that culinary magic to happen. I use an immersion blender in this recipe. If you don’t have one of these handy culinary gadgets it is worth the small investment. An immersion blender will allow you to blend soups, sauces, etc. right on your stove in the pan you are using rather than having to transfer everything to a blender. So much more convenient and your ingredient blending is consistent.

If you do not have an immersion blender you can use a standard kitchen blender but be sure that your ingredients are cooled down. Hot ingredients in a standard kitchen blender tend to expand…be safe here. Here is one of my favorite comfort food soups: Tomato basil soup.

Ingredients:
4 medium carrots, grated
2 celery ribs, diced
1 large white onion, chopped finely
1/2 cup unsalted butter, cubed
1/4 cup EVOO
1 tablespoon fresh, finely minced garlic
1 32-ounce box chicken broth or vegetable broth
1 28-ounce can tomato puree or crushed tomatoes
1.5 ounces fresh basil, roughly chopped
1/2 teaspoon smoked sea salt (I prefer applewood or cherrywood smoked)
1 teaspoon local honey
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
12 ounces heavy cream or coconut cream (not coconut milk)

Directions:

In a large saucepan cook the onions, celery, garlic, and carrots in the EVOO and butter over medium heat until vegetables are tender, approximately 20 minutes. Stir, but allow the vegetables to caramelize slightly. Remove from heat.

Add the broth to the cooled vegetables and begin to blend with the immersion blender. SAFETY TIP: Always be sure to keep the blade hood under the surface of the liquid.

Add the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 25 minutes. Blend again with the immersion blender until you reach the desired consistency. Stir in cream and blend for 1 minute. Heat cream through but do not boil. Serve with a wedge of crusty bread or your favorite crackers… Mangia!

Cynthia Ferris-Bennett, a Nevada native, is the owner of the Sierra Chef Culinary Center, Italian Bakery, Gourmet Market & Cheese Shop in Genoa.