The thing about Ina's recipes - THEY WORK. You don't need 9000 ingredients or need to visit 700 grocery and specialty stores to find them. Her direction is easy to understand, even for a novice like me. Ina doesn't just make up a recipe and throw it into a book. She tests her recipes over and over and over to make sure they WORK. I love her.
Anyway.....
The Roommate LOVES soup. He'd eat it seven days a week, in subzero temperatures, or when it's ridiculously hot. He doesn't care. So, in an effort to maintain marital harmony, I make soup for him. This recipe is based on Ina Garten's "Easy Tomato Soup", however, as I can't leave well enough alone - I messed around with it and came up with this. The Roommate inhaled two bowls and has plans for the rest. Harmony in La Casa prevails.......
Creamy Tomato Soup with Pesto, Crab and Parmesan
Ingredients:
3 tablespoons good olive oil
3 cups yellow onions, chopped (2 onions)
1 tablespoon minced garlic (3 cloves)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 cups chicken stock
4 cups chicken stock
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes, preferably San Marzano, but anything works
1 5.5 ounce can V8 vegetable juice
Large pinch of saffron threads
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup orzo
1/2 cup heavy cream
Large pinch of saffron threads
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup orzo
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons prepared pesto
1/2 pound lump crab meat - fresh if you can swing it, canned will do
Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, shaved, for garnish
Directions:
In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil and butter over medium heat. Add the onions and cook over medium-low heat for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden brown. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Stir in the chicken stock, tomatoes, saffron, V8 juice, 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Bring the soup to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, fill a medium pot with water, add 1 teaspoon salt and bring to a boil. Add the orzo and cook for 7 minutes. (It will finish cooking in the soup.) Drain the orzo and add it to the soup. Stir in the cream, pesto and crab and heat thru, stirring frequently.
Directions:
In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil and butter over medium heat. Add the onions and cook over medium-low heat for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden brown. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Stir in the chicken stock, tomatoes, saffron, V8 juice, 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Bring the soup to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, fill a medium pot with water, add 1 teaspoon salt and bring to a boil. Add the orzo and cook for 7 minutes. (It will finish cooking in the soup.) Drain the orzo and add it to the soup. Stir in the cream, pesto and crab and heat thru, stirring frequently.
Serve hot, with parmigiano reggiano shavings on top.
I enjoyed being in heaven with you that night! Count me in if she ever returns to Milwaukee :)
ReplyDeleteYour crab soup sounds great. I've made Ina's version of this - without the saffron threads. Where do you buy them and were they expensive?
Hi, Karen! I get my saffron threads at World Market, in the spice section. They're pricey for the amount you get, but you only use a pinch. I LOVE the saffron flavor here, but your mileage may vary.....
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