Soup Season!

Even though it's still about 100 degrees out there in the sun I just couldn't wait for soup anymore and found this in the Williams Sonoma soup book. The leaves are changing and as far as I am concerned it's fall. 


Tuscan tomato soup


3 lbs of ripe tomatoes. It was 5 big ones for me.


1 yellow onion


3 garlic cloves


3 1/2 cups of stock


1/2 cup of sherry


fresh chopped basil


Slit the tomatoes on the bottom and dunk them in boiling water for about 15 seconds to be able to easily peel off the skin. Take the seeds out and the skin off.


Heat 2 table spoons of olive oil in a big pot and add the chopped onion. Saute for about 5 minutes. Then add the minced garlic.


Pour in the stock and the sherry and the tomatoes. Let this boil for 30 minutes.


Put it in the blender and don't do what I did but keep the lid on tight. There's so much less clean up that way. I realized today that I am a damn messy cook.


After the blender it goes back in the pot with the chopped basil and salt and pepper to taste. Simmer until serving.


To serve - toast slices of Italian bread. Like this fine loaf from Hannafords:

Put in the soup bowl and spread grated parmesan on top. Ladle the soup over it.