Each day during Lent, Ave Maria Press will be posting soup recipes and Lenten reflections from our Lenten prayer books here on the Ave Maria Press website. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter for more inspiration.
Today's Lenten Reflection
From The Spirituality of Fasting:
Lent in the Catholic liturgy is called “this joyful season,” and in the Orthodox liturgy it is referred to as a time of “bright sadness.” Why such a paradox? A penitential season can be joyful and bright because it is done communally, as a group effort of mutual support and encouragement, and, more importantly, because it redirects our attention away from ourselves and toward God. Grim determination and feats of willpower will get you only so far and are often self-defeating. In the end, we come to realize it is only God who saves, and that is such a relief.
Roasted Tomato Soup
Commentary
Nothing brings back the Lenten Fridays of my youth like a bowl of tomato soup and a grilled cheese sandwich. Here’s a soup recipe that takes a little extra time if you roast the tomatoes, but it’s worth the effort. It’s also very good if you use canned tomatoes. If you like a little heat, add the cayenne pepper.
Ingredients
4 pounds vine-ripened tomatoes, sliced in half (or 3 28-ounce cans of whole, peeled tomatoes, drained)
olive oil to drizzle over tomatoes
salt and freshly ground pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon cayenne (optional)
1/4 cup packed chopped fresh basil leaves, plus julienned basil leaves for garnish (or 1 tablespoon dried basil)
4 cups vegetable broth (use the juice from the drained tomatoes)
1 cup heavy cream
Preparation
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
(If you’re not roasting the tomatoes, proceed to step #2.) Arrange sliced tomatoes, flesh side up, on 2 wire racks set on sheet trays. Drizzle the tomatoes with olive oil, and season them with salt and freshly ground pepper. Roast the tomatoes in the oven until they are tender and slightly brown, about 1 hour. Set aside to cool.
Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in stock pot and sauté the onions and carrots until they are tender, about 10–15 minutes.
Mix in the tomato paste for a few minutes, then add the tomatoes (roasted or canned), sugar, cayenne (optional), basil, vegetable broth, salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil and then lower heat and let simmer for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the tomatoes are very tender.
Remove from heat and puree with an immersion blender or, working in batches, with a food processor or food mill.
Add heavy cream, check seasoning, then reheat the soup over low heat just until hot and serve with julienned basil leaves as a garnish. (And don’t forget to make your favorite grilled cheese sandwich!) Makes 5 to 6 soup servings.
Submitted by Tom Grady, Ave Maria Press Publisher and President
Source: several recipes from the Food Network website.
