Rustic Tomato Soup

I bought Rustic Tomato Soup at Wisma this past week. It was the most amazing tomato soup I have ever tasted.

At this new concept store from John des Rosiers, chef and owner of Innovasi in Lake Bluff, local organic food is prepared for take home and is so affordable you almost can’t do it at home for less.

I tried to recreate the flavor of this soup by using a lot of the same ingredients and was surprised at how good the taste was.

This soup is only as good as the ingredients you use so be sure to use the best, freshest, high-quality ingredients you can find including the wine. There are so few ingredients in this soup just one that is not top quality will alter the taste.

I like my soup a little on the chunky side so I prepare the tomatoes for those results.

It’s a beautiful soup because there are no other ingredients to throw off the color or the taste such as broth or butter. I let mine simmer on my stove for several hours and added a bit more wine. I also taste the soup frequently during cooking and adjust the wine and spices to my taste.

If you love tomatoes you’ll love this soup.

Bon Appetit!

Rustic Tomato Soup

5 pounds ripe heirloom or Italian tomatoes

1 cup good red wine

Snips of fresh Basil, Marjoram, Thyme, and Oregano

2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 finely chopped sweet onion

3 garlic cloves, crushed

Sea salt, pepper, and a tiny bit of sugar to taste

Pour olive oil in the pot and add onions and garlic. Cook about 5 minutes on low.

Remove the skin from tomatoes. I crush the tomatoes by hand but you can use a food processor. Add them to the pot along with snips of the spices. Always do this to taste.

Pour in the wine. I taste the soup while cooking and add wine if I need it.

Add sea salt, fresh ground pepper and a little sugar if you like your soup on the sweet side.

Bring soup to a boil. Cover. Turn to low and simmer at least 45 minutes.

Remember, the longer it simmers, the better it is.