About Tomato Soup:

Tomato soup is a soup made with tomatoes as the primary ingredient. It may be served hot or cold, and can be made in many styles.It may be smooth in texture, and there are also recipes which include chunks (or small pieces) of tomato, cream and chicken/vegetable stock. Popular toppings for tomato soup include sour cream or croutons. Tomato soup is one of the top comfort foods in Poland and the United States. It can be made fresh by blanching tomatoes, removing the skins, then blending into a puree.
The first noted tomato soup was made by Maria Parloa in 1872, and Joseph A. Campbell's recipe for condensed tomato soup in 1897 further increased its popularity.
Commercially prepared tomato is available in a variety of forms, including canned, condensed and in dehydrated powder form. "Tomato" ranks among the top three flavors of soup produced by the Campbell Soup Company.
Gazpacho is a tomato soup of Spanish origin, served cold. It originates in the region of Andalucía in southern Spain. Gazpacho is widely consumed in Spanish cuisine, as well as in neighboring Portugal, where it is known as gaspacho. Gazpacho is mostly consumed during the summer months, due to its refreshing qualities and cold serving temperature.

Serves 4-6

Prep time: 10 mins
Cook time: 1 hrs

Ingredients:

3 Tbsp of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Small Onion, chopped
2 Cloves of Garlic, minced
2 lbs of Ripe Tomatoes
1 32 oz Can of Canned Whole Tomatoes
1 1/4 cups of Chicken Stock (or more depending on how think or runny you like it)
½ cup of Heavy Cream
1 Tbsp of Balsamic Vinegar
1/2 cup of Fresh Basil Leaves
Salt and Pepper, to taste

For the Parmesan Croutons:

2 cups of cut bread slices
½ cup of Freshly Grated Parmigiano (parmesan)
3 Tbsp of Olive Oil
1 tsp of Garlic Powder

Method:

1) Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

2) Toss the tomatoes, balsamic vinegar, 2 Tbsp of oil and salt and pepper on a baking sheet. Make sure the mixture is in one even layer and roast for about 25 minutes or until they develop a gorgeous roasted color.

3) Meanwhile, in a large pot, add the remaining oil with the chopped onion and cook over medium-high heat for about 5 to 8 minutes or until the onion really develops a golden brown color, add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute.

4) Add the canned tomatoes, chicken stock and turn the heat up to medium-high. Allow the mixture to come to a boil, reduce the heat back to medium and allow it to simmer for about 20 minutes (the roasted tomatoes should be done at this point).

5) Add the basil (not chopped) and roasted tomatoes to the simmering soup and let it cook for about 5 minutes.

6) Remove the basil and discard. Season the whole thing with salt and pepper to taste and turn the heat off.

7) Using either an emersion blender or a regular blender, puree the soup until smooth, then pass it through a sieve into another pot.

8) Turn the heat onto medium and let the soup simmer for about 2 minutes, add the cream and give it one last stir. Remove from the heat.

9) Serve with the parmesan croutons!

To make the Croutons:

10) Place all ingredients into a bowl and toss together well. Place them on a baking sheet and bake them in a 400 degree oven for about 15 minutes or so. Allow them to cool before storing.

11) They will keep very well in an airtight container at room temperature for about 4 days.