Tomato Bisque from The Conscious Cook
We recently decided to try the Tomato Bisque recipe from The Conscious Cook cookbook by Tal Ronnin and WOWIE YUM. I usually adjust recipes to add less oil where I can but he is such a wonderful cook who it seems has taken such care and time with his recipes that I thought I should just leave it as he made it and I’m glad I did.
This soup tastes like the best soup from the best restaurant you have ever been too and one you would pay a fortune for but it is cheap to make at home. It is super rich and packed with flavor yet smooth (even when I left it chunky) and really just explosion on your taste buds. Honestly, I can’t say enough about how delicious this soup was. This is a perfect meal to serve to skeptical guests who think vegan food is bland and boring.
I usually like a more chunky soup and my husband and kids like a creamy soup so I did it both ways and you can see the texture of both in the pics so you can decide which looks more to your own liking.
I am typing this recipe out exactly as it is written in his book and as I said I did not change a thing from the ingredients and yum. I did however not blend mine as much and did not put it through the sieve to make it super smooth because I wanted all the fiber and texture but you decide if you want it my way or his, I’m sure the taste is the same. I also included his recipe for the cashew cream below the soup. BEWARE you need to soak your nuts overnight (unless you have a Vita-Mix,which I HIGHLY recommend!) so plan ahead!!!
I pared it with a wonderful salad of my own making but with a dressing from his book and also with his Focaccia bread (I will post that recipe soon too) and it was a super satisfying meal that almost leaves you intoxicated. Get up and try this soup!
Tomato Bisque
Makes 6 servings
Sea salt
4 tablesppons Earth Balance
1 onion, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
3 cloves garlic, smashed
2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
5 cups faux chicken stock (try Better Than Bouillon brand)
1 (28-ounce) can whole fire-roasted tomatoes, juice included
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
Leaves from 2 fresh thyme sprigs
1 bay leaf
Freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups regular Cashew Cream (see below)
Parsley for garnish
Place a large stockpot over medium heat. Sprinkle the bottom with a pinch of salt and heat for 1 minute. Add the Earth Balance and stir until melted, being careful not to let it burn. This will create a nonstick effect. Add the onion, carrot, celery, and garlic and cook for 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and continue cooking and stirring for 2 minutes.
Add the stock, tomatoes with juice, parsley, thyme and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, then add the Cashew Cream. Continue to simmer (do not boil) for 10 minutes.
Remove the bay leaf. Working in batches, pour the soup into a blend, cover the lid with a towel (the hot liquid tends to erupt), and blend on high several minutes, until very smooth. Pour the soup through a fine-mesh sieve. Ladle into bowls and garnish with parsley. ENJOY!
Cashew Cream:
2 cups whole raw cashews (not pieces, which are often dry) rinsed very well under cold water.
Put the cashews in a bowl and add cold water to cover them. Cover the bowl and refrigerate overnight.
Drain the cashews and rinse under cold water. Place them in a blender with enough fresh cold water to cover them by 1 inch. Blend on high for several minutes until very smooth. (If you’re not using a professional high speed blender such as a Vita-Mix, which creates an ultra-smooth cream, stain the cashew cream through a fine-mesh sieve.)
Makes about 2 1/4 cups thick cream or 3 1/2 cups regular cream
Tags: Dinner, Healthy Meal, Tal Ronnen, Tomato Bisque from The Conscious Cook, Vegan, vegan recipe, Vegan soup, Vegetarian
