Tom's Tasty Tomato Soup with Brown Butter Croutons

Tom's Tasty Tomato Soup with Brown Butter Croutons
Tom's Tasty Tomato Soup with Brown Butter Croutons
When I was a kid and my mom made tomato soup, she would cut buttered toast into squares and float them on top of each bowl. My twist on Mom's toast is to make brown butter croutons, though when I'm really feeling feisty I go all the way and make grilled cheese croutons to float on the soup. To cut the bread for the brown butter croutons, take a 4-inch chunk of rustic bread (5 to 6 ounces) and cut off and discard the crusts using a serrated knife. Cut the bread into 4 slices, then cut the slices into 3/4- to 1-inch cubes.
  • Preparing Time: -
  • Total Time: -
  • Served Person: Makes 6 servings
Soup/Stew Herb Tomato Appetizer Bake Vegetarian Kid-Friendly Dinner Fall Advance Prep Required Pescatarian Peanut Free Tree Nut Free Soy Free Kosher Small Plates
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon celery seed
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
  • 2/3 cup heavy cream
  • 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
  • Carbohydrate 22 g(7%)
  • Cholesterol 57 mg(19%)
  • Fat 21 g(32%)
  • Fiber 5 g(21%)
  • Protein 5 g(9%)
  • Saturated Fat 12 g(58%)
  • Sodium 744 mg(31%)
  • Calories 284

Preparation 1. Heat the butter and olive oil in a large saucepan and sauté the onion and garlic until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, water, cream, salt, red pepper flakes, celery seed, oregano, and sugar. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer and simmer for 15 minutes. 2. Remove from the heat and puree in batches in the container of a blender. Return the soup to the pot and reheat to a simmer, seasoning to taste with more salt and pepper. 3. Meanwhile, to make the brown butter croutons, preheat the oven to 350°F. Heat the butter in a small pan over medium heat and cook, stirring often, until the butter is golden brown and aromatic, about 3 minutes after the butter melts. Remove from the heat. Put the bread cubes in a bowl and pour the brown butter over them, tossing to coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper and toss again. Spread the bread cubes on a baking sheet and place it in the oven. Bake until the croutons are toasted and golden, about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove the pan from the oven. 4. Serve the soup hot, garnished with the croutons. From The Dahlia Bakery Cookbook: Sweetness in Seattle by Tom Douglas and Shelley Lance. Photography by Ed Anderson. Copyright © 2012 by Tom Douglas. Published by HarperCollins Publishers.

Preparation 1. Heat the butter and olive oil in a large saucepan and sauté the onion and garlic until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, water, cream, salt, red pepper flakes, celery seed, oregano, and sugar. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer and simmer for 15 minutes. 2. Remove from the heat and puree in batches in the container of a blender. Return the soup to the pot and reheat to a simmer, seasoning to taste with more salt and pepper. 3. Meanwhile, to make the brown butter croutons, preheat the oven to 350°F. Heat the butter in a small pan over medium heat and cook, stirring often, until the butter is golden brown and aromatic, about 3 minutes after the butter melts. Remove from the heat. Put the bread cubes in a bowl and pour the brown butter over them, tossing to coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper and toss again. Spread the bread cubes on a baking sheet and place it in the oven. Bake until the croutons are toasted and golden, about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove the pan from the oven. 4. Serve the soup hot, garnished with the croutons. From The Dahlia Bakery Cookbook: Sweetness in Seattle by Tom Douglas and Shelley Lance. Photography by Ed Anderson. Copyright © 2012 by Tom Douglas. Published by HarperCollins Publishers.