Recipe - Basque Roasted Toamto Soup

2 pound Plum tomatoes; large
2 tablespoon Olive oil
1 teaspoon Granulated sugar
1 small Dried chiles; broken OR
One fourth teaspoon Crushed red pepper
2 Onions; finely chopped
2 Cloves garlic; crushed
1 One half teaspoon Paprika
1 tablespoon Fresh oregano; OR
1 teaspoon Dried oregano
1 28 oz. can Italian plum
tomatoes; reserve liquid,
drained, chopped
6 cup Chicken broth;
reducedsodium, defatted
Salt and pepper; to taste
One half pound Shrimp; optional
2 tablespoon Fresh chives; snipped OR
2 tablespoon Basil leaves; slivered

Preheat oven to 225øF. Lightly oil a large baking sheet with sides or coat
it with nonstick spray.

Cut fresh tomatoes in half lengthwise. Arrange, cutside down, in a single
layer on prepared baking sheet. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon oil and sprinkle
with sugar. Roast for 3 hours, or until very soft and wrinkled. Let cool
and set aside.

Meanwhile, in a Dutch oven or soup pot, heat remaining 1 tablepoon oil and
dried chiles (or crushed red pepper) over mediumlow heat. Add onions and
garlic and cook, stirring, until lightly browned, 10 to 12 minutes. Add
paprika and oregano and cook, stirring, for 1 minute more.

Add canned tomatoes and chicken broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low
and simmer, partially covered, for 25 minutes. Remove from heat and let
cool.

Strain soup into a bowl; transfer solids to a food processor or blender.
Puree until smooth, adding a little broth if necessary. Return puree and
broth to pot. Whisk to combine.

Using a food mill, puree reserved roasted tomatoes (Alternatively, slip off
skins, puree in a food processor and strain through a coarse sieve.) Add
puree to soup. (If the soup is too thick, add a little of the reserved
canned tomato liquid.) Season with salt and pepper.

If using shrimp, cook in a large saucpen of boiling salted water until they
just turn pink, 1 to 2 minutes. Drain and let cool. Peel shrimp and cut
in half lengthwise.

Ladle into warmed soup bowls and garnish with shrimp, if using, and chives
(or basil). Serve immediately.

Recipe by: Eating Well (October) 1997

Posted to recipeludigest by Nesb2@aol.com on Feb 10, 1998