Ingredients
The following ingredients have 5 Servings
- 5 to 6 large tomatoes (3 to 3 ½ pounds)
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO)
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 medium or 1 large Vidalia onion
- chopped
- Salt and pepper
- 1 large leafy stem basil
- plus torn leaves
- for topping
- 2 cups homemade or store-bought vegetable stock or chicken bone broth or stock
Instruction
- Set up an ice water bath: large bowl, lots of ice, a little water
- Place a strainer or colander in sink and bring a pot of water to a boil, 4 inches deep
- Using a paring knife, remove the core from the top of each tomato and score the bottom of the skin of the tomato with an X
- When water boils, gently place tomatoes in water and let them roll around 1 full minute
- Transfer the tomatoes to the ice bath using a spider or tongs
- Cool and peel tomatoes, letting them drain a bit as you work in the strainer
- Slice and chop the tomatoes and place in a bowl
- Heat a soup pot over low heat with 2 tablespoons EVOO, 2 turns of the pan
- Add the butter, and when it melts into oil, add Vidalia onions and season with salt and pepper
- Do not let the onions brown
- Let them sweat 10 to 15 minutes and add 1 cup water to onions, raise heat to medium-high, and let the water absorb and cook the onions to absolute mush
- Add tomatoes, basil and stock and cook at medium boil 20 minutes to break down tomatoes
- Remove basil stem and puree the soup using an immersion blender or transfer to food processor or high-power blender and puree, then return to pot
- Simmer gently over lowest heat until ready to serve
- Top with a few small leaves of torn basil
