Fresh Tomato Bisque Recipe

Use fresh tomatoes to make a luscious creamy tomato soup. It is quite easy to make and much more tasty than canned cream of tomato soup. If you are lucky enough to grow your own tomatoes or have a good farmer’s market nearby, you can easily freeze tomatoes without the fuss of canning, and they will also taste fresher than canned. Simply wash, pat dry, place whole tomatoes in a freezer zip-top bag, suck out the air with a straw, seal, and freeze. When you thaw them, the skins will slip right off, and they are ready to go.

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Total Time: 60 minutes

Ingredients:

• 3 Tablespoons butter
• 1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
• 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 cups water
• 4 pounds tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and cut into pieces
• 2 Tablespoons light brown sugar
• 6 whole cloves
• 1 teaspoon salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup medium or whipping cream

Preparation:

Melt the butter in a large saucepan. Add the onion and toss to coat. Stir over medium heat until the onion is tender. Sprinkle on the flour and continue stirring over medium heat until the mixture foams. Stir in the water and bring to a boil.
Measure out 3/4 cup of the tomato pieces and set aside. Add the remaining tomato pieces to the boiling mixture. Stir in the brown sugar and cloves. Reduce the heat and cook, uncovered, at the gentle bubble for 30 minutes.
Transfer to a food mill and force through. Return to the saucepan and stir in the reserved tomato pieces. Blend in the salt, pepper, and cream. Place soup over medium heat and warm gently, but do not boil.
Yield: 6 servings