Roger Hoffman likes Zuppa’s tomato basil soup so much that Kathy spent several batches of time trying to duplicate their recipe as closely as possible in her own kitchen. Here is the version that she considers a triumph… because her husband likes it better than the original!
2 medium-sized sweet yellow onions, chopped
2 Tbsp butter, margarine, or olive oil
1/2 ounce fresh basil leaves torn into bite-sized pieces
1/2 tsp crushed garlic (one or two cloves, depending on size)
2 Tbsp pesto
1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes (she uses the kind in a jar with olive oil & garlic, but they also come in a bag like raisins)
12 ounces fresh tomatoes or one 14 ounce can of tomatoes
14 oz chicken or vegetable broth
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1/8 tsp thyme
1/8 tsp ground oregano
1/4 tsp marjoram
1/4 tsp dried basil
2 Tbsp raw (turbinado) sugar
1 tsp Kosher salt
Fresh ground pepper to taste
1 cup half & half
Cook chopped onion in butter or oil of your choice until soft in a dutch oven or other large pot. Add fresh basil leaves, garlic & pesto. Stir to blend. Cut sun dried tomatoes into chunks about the size of a large raisin, add to pot and continue to cook over medium low heat, stirring frequently.
In meantime, if using fresh tomatoes, blanch them for 30 seconds in boiling water, then plunge into cold water, peel, chop & remove most of seeds (you don’t need to get all of the seeds – just what you can get rid of easily). If you are using canned tomatoes, drain off the liquid and chop tomatoes if they are whole. You can save the liquid to add later. Add tomatoes to pot & continue to cook & stir for another few minutes.
Combine spices in mortar & grind gently with pestle. Add chicken broth (and liquid drained from tomatoes if you used canned), spices, sugar, salt & pepper to pot and stir to blend. Bring to a boil, then gently simmer for about a half hour. Turn off the heat and let it “rest” for about a half hour to let all of those yummy flavors combine, and to cool enough to be blended.
Put about one half of your soup mix into the blender and process till smooth. Add one half cup of the half & half and blend till well mixed. Pour into a bowl & repeat process with second half. Put all of your soup back into the pot and heat just until it begins to simmer.
This soup tastes great served over a little rice or orzo pasta in the bottom of each bowl & with some soft bread for dipping & for wiping out every last yummy drop from the bottom of your bowl
Serves: This recipe makes enough to serve two really hungry people as the main course with a little left over, or three to four people if you are serving sandwiches or a big salad or something else like that with it.
Source: Kathy Hoffman