Creamy Tomato Soup

Ingredients

• 56oz stewed tomatoes (2 28oz cans; whole, crushed, or chopped)
• 5C fresh water
• 2 medium onions, chopped
• 3-4 medium ribs of celery, chopped
• 5-6 large cloves of garlic, diced
• 0.25C + 2T white rice
• 0.25C fresh basil, chopped (about 30 leaves)
• 3T olive oil
• 3T butter
• 2T double concentrated tomato paste
• 1T granulated white sugar
• 1t anchovy paste
• 1t crushed black pepper
• 0.5t dried oregano
• 0.25t cayenne pepper
• 0.25t paprika (Hungarian, smoked, or sweet)
• kosher salt to taste
• sour cream, olive oil, and chopped herbs to garnish

Process

Heat butter and oil over medium heat. Saute onions, celery, spices, and salt until onions and celery are sweet and translucent (at least 5 minutes). Add garlic and saute until fragrant (at least 2 minutes). Add anchovy paste and tomato paste and saute for an additional 1-2 minutes, stirring, until well amalgamated. Add tomatoes, basil, rice, and water.

Bring to a boil then lower heat and simmer partially covered for at least an hour, adding water if necessary. Remove from heat and allow to rest for 10-15 minutes before pureeing with an immersion blender. Add sugar and additional salt, pepper, and cayenne to taste.

Serve garnished with a dollop of sour cream, a drizzle of olive oil, and a sprinkling of freshly chopped herbs.

Notes

The rice helps to thicken and stabilize the soup and should not be omitted. Canned tomatoes vary wildly in salt content, so the salt in the recipe should be adjusted accordingly.