Tomato Soup With Candied Bacon Recipes

Steps:

• Bacon, part 1: Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Place a wire rack over a rimmed baking sheet and arrange bacon slices on the rack in an even layer. Sprinkle ¼ teaspoon of maple sugar on each slice, lightly pressing to help it adhere. Flip bacon and repeat so both sides are coated. Bake until almost crisp, 8 minutes, checking after 5 to ensure it's not burning.
• Soup: In a pot over medium-high heat, add 4 tablespoons olive oil. When the oil is rippling, add the onions. Stir and cook until they're soft and translucent, 2-3 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low, add garlic and half the salt, and cook 2-3 more minutes. Add remaining olive oil and the tomato paste. Increase heat to medium-high and cook, stirring, 2-3 minutes. This is called "frying out": the tomato paste will caramelize and stick to the pan, making a great soup base. Add chopped tomatoes, smoked paprika, fish sauce, remaining salt, and sugar. Stir, scraping to deglaze the pot. Add water, stir again, cover, and simmer, 20 minutes.
• Bacon, part 2: Finish crisping the bacon by flipping it again and sprinkling the remaining sugar on top. Return to oven to render out the remaining fat, 4 minutes. Bacon will look glassy when it's done. Remove to cool. (Note: Bacon will not be crisp until it has completely cooled.)
• Soup, part 2: Stir lemon zest into soup. Blend in two batches: for the first, ladle half the soup into a blender, along with ⅔ cup milk and ¼ cup cream. Fill blender no more than halfway, remove lid plug, and cover with a kitchen towel to catch spatters. Blend on low to start, then switch to high until smooth and puréed. Taste and adjust for seasoning. Add a pinch of sugar, 4 dashes Tabasco, pepper, and ¼ cup milk. Cover and blend on high to purée. Ladle the soup into a clean pot to rewarm and set aside. Repeat for the second batch with remaining soup and Tabasco, pinch of sugar, ¾ cup milk, and ¼ cup cream. Then add second batch to the pot.
• Assembly: Reheat soup over low heat, 2 minutes. Ladle into bowls, and garnish with candied bacon. Serve immediately.

Steps:

• Render bacon over medium heat in a 3-quart saucepan until crisp, about three minutes. Remove bacon to paper-towel lined plate and set aside, reserving the rendered fat in the saucepan.
• Increase heat to medium-high and add the butter. Sauté the onion and carrot for 8-10 minutes or until very soft and beginning to caramelize, stirring occasionally.
• Add the tomato paste and continue cooking about 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Sprinkle the flour over the vegetable mixture, mix well and continue cooking for another minute.
• Gradually pour in the stock, whisking constantly to prevent lumps from forming.
• Add the diced tomatoes, thyme, bay leaf, garlic and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer soup for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Remove soup from the heat. Add the heavy cream and puree with an immersion blender until smooth.
• Season to taste and serve garnished with the crisped bacon.

Steps:

• Fill a large pot with lightly salted water and bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Once the water is boiling, stir in the macaroni, and return to a boil. Cook the pasta uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the pasta has cooked through, but is still firm to the bite, about 8 minutes. Drain well in a colander set in the sink.
• Place the bacon pieces and onion into a large saucepan or soup pot over medium heat, and cook and stir until the onion is beginning to brown and the bacon is crisp, about 10 minutes. Stir in tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, beef bouillon cubes, water, garlic powder, onion powder, and cooked macaroni, and bring to a boil. Cover the pot, reduce heat, and simmer for 10 minutes.