French Tomato Soup

Give your tomato soup an extra spin with white wine and fresh thyme.

French Tomato Soup

Recipe by Anna BembryCourse: SoupsCuisine: FrenchDifficulty: Simple
Servings

4

servings
Prep time

15

minutes
Cooking time

1

hour 

Give your tomato soup an extra spin with white wine and fresh thyme.

Ingredients

  • 1 kg / 2.2 lbs fresh, ripe tomatoes

  • 1 large carrot (or 2 small ones)

  • 1 celery stick

  • 1 onion

  • 1 clove of garlic

  • 3 tablespoons olive oil

  • 150 ml / 5.1 fl oz white wine

  • 300 ml / 10.1 vegetable broth

  • 1 bay leaf

  • 1/2 tablespoons sugar

  • 1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves stripped from stems and chopped

  • salt and pepper

Method

  • Using a small paring knife, score a crisscross at the top and bottom of each tomato. Place tomatoes in a large bowl and pour over with boiling hot water so that it covers the tomatoes by at least an inch. Set aside for about 10 minutes until the skin starts peeling off. Meanwhile, peel the carrot and rinse the celery stick. Cut both into small cubes. Peel and dice onion and garlic. Strain water from the tomatoes, peel, and cut into small cubes, saving the juiced and discarding the white stems.
  • In a medium-size soup pot, heat up oil, add onion and garlic, and sauté over medium heat. Add celery and carrot and cook for 3 – 4 minutes, stirring frequently. Season with salt and pepper. Deglaze with a generous splash of wine and let it boil down. Add another splash of wine and let boil down again. Stir in tomatoes (with all the juices), add the remaining wine, vegetable broth, and bay leaf. Give it a good stir and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and allow to simmer for about 45 minutes with the lid on.
  • Stir in sugar and thyme leaves and let the soup simmer for another 15 minutes with the lid off.
  • Remove bay leaf, and using a stick blender, pulse the soup until smooth. Season to taste and serve with crispy bread.

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