Creamless Creamy Tomato Soupcooks Illustrated Recipes

Steps:

• Heat 2 tablespoons oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add onion, garlic, red pepper flakes, and bay leaf. Cook, stirring frequently, until onion is translucent, 3 to 5 minutes.
• Stir in tomatoes and their juice. Using a potato masher, mash until no pieces bigger than 2 inches remain. Stir in sugar and bread; bring soup to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until bread is completely saturated and starts to break down, about 5 minutes. Remove bay leaf and discard.
• Transfer half of soup to a blender, add 1tablespoon olive oil and process until soup is smooth and creamy, 2 to 3 minutes. Be extra careful when putting hot liquids in the blender. Never fill past 2/3 of the way full, and put a dish towel over the top just in case to protect your hands from getting burned by any hot liquid splashing up. Transfer to a large bowl and repeat with remaining soup and oil.
• Rinse out Dutch oven and return soup to pot. Stir in chicken broth and brandy. Return soup to a boil and season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Sprinkle each portion with pepper and chives and drizzle with olive oil. Serve (of course) with grilled cheese sandwiches.

Steps:

• Heat oil in a Dutch oven or heavy stockpot over medium-low heat; cook and stir onion and garlic in hot oil until tender, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes to onion mixture, crushing with a potato masher. Stir bread, basil, and brown sugar into tomato mixture and simmer until bread is completely saturated and starts to break down, about 10 minutes.
• Pour tomato mixture into a blender no more than half full; add butter. Cover and hold lid down; pulse a few times before leaving on to blend. Puree in batches until smooth. Return pureed soup to Dutch oven over medium heat; add broth and simmer until heated through, about 5 minutes. Season soup with salt and pepper.

Steps:

• Heat 2 tablespoons oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add onion, garlic, red pepper flakes (if using), and bay leaf. Cook, stirring frequently, until onion is translucent, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in tomatoes and their juice. Using potato masher, mash until no pieces bigger than 2 inches remain. Stir in sugar and bread (Crustless, torn into one inch pieces); bring soup to boil. Reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until bread is completely saturated and starts to break down, about 5 minutes. Remove and discard bay leaf.
• Transfer half of soup to blender. Add 1 tablespoon oil and process until soup is smooth and creamy, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to large bowl and repeat with remaining soup and oil. Rinse out Dutch oven and return soup to pot. Stir in chicken broth and brandy (if using). Return soup to boil and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve soup in individual bowls. Sprinkle each portion with pepper and chives and drizzle with olive oil.