November 23, 2020
The big feast (a.k.a. Thanksgiving) is just a few days away. Thanksgiving is one of the holidays I look forward to the most during the year mainly because it is one of the few times during the year where I can truly eat whatever carb-y, cheesy, comfort food I want. In anticipation of the big feast, I have been trying to eat lighter over the last few days. One of my favorite light meals to whip up in a quickie lately is my tomato basil soup served with parm crisps, my take on the traditional tomato soup served with grilled cheese. My love for tomato soup and grilled cheese goes way back to my elementary school days. Once every other week, the school cafeteria would serve up a variation of tomato soup with grilled cheese. If I didn’t feel like eating anything else on the school menu, I knew I could always count on tomato soup with grilled cheese. My cravings for the combo continued into my college years. Back in my college days, I would stock up on cans of tomato soup, loaves of bread, and precut cheese. These were the components I would use to build tomato soup and grilled cheese whenever my cravings for the combo kicked in. If I ran out of bread, I would use whatever carb I had on hand from naan flatbread to saltine crackers. As long as I had a carb on hand, I could convert it into a semi-grilled cheese. A couple weekends ago, I came up with the idea for tomato basil soup served with parm crisps when my cravings kicked in, but I wanted something lighter for an early lunch. Kevin and I had been invited to a small brunch at a neighbor’s home later in the day and we were both hungry in the morning, so I quickly blended up some tomato basil soup. The soup alone was not enough to squash my cravings for the grilled cheese component, so I ended up grating some Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese onto a sheet pan lined with parchment paper and crisping up the parm in the oven. What resulted was the most marvelous tomato basil soup served with parm crisps. The tomato basil soup was perfectly flavored with butter, garlic, onion, tomatoes, and basil. The parm crisps added a savory, cheesy crunch. My tomato basil soup served with parm crisps were the perfect pairing to help satisfy my cravings. Plus, it provided both Kevin and I the much-needed sustenance to hold us over until brunchtime. I loved the combo so much, I made it again and again in the days leading up to Thanksgiving. It was such an easy way to make a large batch of soup and divide the batches of soup up into smaller servings throughout the week. Whenever lunch time or dinner time rolled around during the work week, I could easily preheat the oven, crisp up some Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, and serve the crispy parm with tomato basil soup for a quick lunch or dinner. With Thanksgiving just a few days away and the inevitable cooking marathon to occur, I could use a few meals prepped ahead of time. My tomato basil soup with parm crisps (along with my savory everything animal crackers) are just what I need to fuel up before Thanksgiving day rolls around. I will definitely be enjoying these keepers time and time again even after the holiday rush.
For the tomato basil soup:
· 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
· 3 cloves garlic, minced
· 1 onion, quartered
· ½ teaspoon kosher salt
· 1 (28 oz) can tomato puree
· 1 large tomato of your choice, diced (I used heirloom)
· 1 sprig of fresh basil
· 2 tablespoons tomato paste
· ¼ cup vegetable stock
· ¼ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
· ½ teaspoon granulated sugar
For the parm crisps:
· 1 large wedge of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
· ½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
· ¼ teaspoon kosher salt (optional)
Directions:
To make the tomato soup:
1) Heat a pot on medium heat. Once hot, add the tablespoon of unsalted butter. When the butter has melted, add the minced garlic and quartered onion. Sprinkle in the kosher salt. Cook until the onion is softened, about 5 minutes. Pour in the can of tomato puree. Toss in the diced tomato. Drop in the sprig of basil. Stir in the tomato paste, and vegetable stock. Season with the freshly cracked black pepper and granulated sugar. Cook the tomato soup, stirring occasionally, for 25-30 minutes. Use an immersion blender to blend all of the ingredients into a smooth or slightly chunky soup.
To make the parm crisps:
1) Preheat the oven to 450°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Use a grater to grate the Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese into about six piles of grated cheese. Sprinkle on the freshly cracked black pepper. If desired, sprinkle on some kosher salt. Bake the piles of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese for 5-7 minutes, until the Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese is melted, golden brown, and crispy. Serve with the tomato soup.
Takeaways: I like to make tomato soup in large batches and store any remaining soup in the refrigerator for a quick meal during the work week. The parm crisps, on the other hand, taste best when made fresh and served immediately. I found baking the parm in the oven at 450°F for about 5-7 minutes yields the perfect crispy texture for the parm crisps.