| red and warm. it is the friend of the grilled cheese above. they belong together. when i first tried this pairing i sat very still for a long time after. i think i made a small noise. it is a humble dish but it has a way of making you feel held. i needed that, on a cold night, far from home. |
| ~ ingredients ~ |
|
2 cans of whole peeled tomatoes 1 onion, chopped 3 cloves of garlic, chopped 2 spoonfuls of butter 1 spoonful of olive oil 1 cup of cream a small handful of fresh basil leaves salt, pepper, and a pinch of sugar 1 cup of vegetable broth (more if you want it thinner) |
| ~ instructions ~ |
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1. melt the butter and olive oil together in a large pot. medium heat. 2. add the chopped onion. stir until soft and clear, about 5 of your minutes. 3. add the garlic. stir for one more minute. it will smell wonderful. this is your reward. 4. pour in the cans of tomatoes, juice and all. crush them gently with the back of your spoon. 5. add the broth, the salt, the pepper, and the pinch of sugar. 6. let it simmer for about 20 minutes so all the flavors become friends. 7. tear the basil leaves and drop them in. 8. with a hand-blender or a regular blender, make the soup smooth. be careful ~ hot soup will jump if you are not gentle. 9. stir in the cream. taste. add more salt if needed. 10. ladle into a bowl. eat with a grilled cheese sandwich. dip the sandwich into the soup. trust me. |
| kl'vaiim's note ~ on tau ceti f, when someone is unwell, we bring them a bowl of broth. when i had my first cold here on earth, a kind neighbor brought me this soup. our two planets are not so different in the ways that matter most. |