Comforting Classics: The Ultimate Grilled Cheese and Homemade Tomato Soup
As a nation, we didn't know we loved tomato soup until someone condensed it and put it in a can. That's when it became a steady presence on our tables, a fixture in our pantries and in our imaginations. (It's no accident that Andy Warhol's most famous soup can silkscreen is of tomato soup and not, say, vegetable beef.) To those of us who grew up loving the ready-made stuff, a recipe for homemade cream of tomato soup-a variation popularized in 1900, when Campbell's started printing the recipe on labels-is nothing short of revelatory. Crushed tomatoes bring brightness and body; bacon, a smoky depth; and a generous finish of crème fraîche infuses that signature luxuriousness. It's nuanced and vibrant in ways that the stuff out of a can just can't be. It's-if you'll pardon the expression-m'm, m'm, good.
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SERVES 4-6
INGREDIENTS
4 slices thick-cut bacon, finely chopped
2 tbsp. unsalted butter
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
1 medium carrot, finely chopped
3 tbsp. tomato paste
1 tbsp. flour
4 cups chicken stock
2 sprigs thyme
1 bay leaf
1 (15-oz.) can whole, peeled tomatoes in juice, crushed by hand
¼ cup heavy cream
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Crème fraîche, croutons, and finely chopped chives, to garnish
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INSTRUCTIONS
Heat bacon in a 4-qt. saucepan over medium heat, and cook until its fat renders and bacon is crisp, about 15 minutes. Add butter, and increase temperature to medium-high; add garlic, onion, and carrot, and cook, stirring, until soft, about 10 minutes. Add tomato paste, and cook, stirring, until lightly caramelized, about 3 minutes. Add flour, and cook, stirring until smooth, about 2 minutes more. Add stock, thyme, bay leaf, and tomatoes, and bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium-low, and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly reduced, about 30 minutes. Remove from heat, and purée; return to saucepan, and stir in cream. Season with salt and pepper. Divide among bowls; dollop with crème fraîche, and sprinkle with croutons and chives.
This recipe is part of a series. See all 150 classic recipes featured in our 150th issue »
RECIPE: The Ultimate Grilled Cheese
The secret to making a perfect grilled cheese sandwich is cooking it over low heat, which brings out the subtle flavors of a cheese, and slathering the bread with butter, which crisps it in the pan. Comté, with its semi-firm texture and nutty taste, is great for grilling.
SERVES 2
INGREDIENTS
4 tbsp. unsalted butter, softened
4 ½"-thick slices sourdough bread
1 8-oz. piece comté cheese, grated
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INSTRUCTIONS
1. Spread butter evenly on both sides of each slice of bread. Put half the cheese on one slice and half on another. Top each with remaining bread slices. Heat a 12" cast-iron skillet over medium-low heat.
2. Add sandwiches to skillet and cook, flipping once with a metal spatula, until golden brown and crusty on both sides, 18-20 minutes. Transfer sandwiches to a cutting board and slice in half with a knife. Serve warm.
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