Cream of Sun-Dried Tomato Soup

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                            FOOD FUNNY
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Thanks to Rosemary Zwick for this groaner:

In ancient Rome workers were told that they could eat anything
they wanted during the lunch hour. Anything, that is, except
smoked salmon. That was the world's first anti-lox breaks.

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                            TODAY'S RECIPE
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This soup gets an additional tomato punch from the concentrated
flavor of the sun-dried tomatoes. If you like the soup in the cans,
this will surely become a favorite.

Cream of Sun-Dried Tomato Soup

1 Tbs (15 ml) olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 ribs celery, chopped
2 medium carrots, chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
4 cups (1 L) vegetable stock (or chicken stock for a non-vegetarian
version)
4 cups (1 L) chopped ripe tomatoes or canned Italian tomatoes, drained
1 large potato, peeled and diced
1/2 cup (125 ml) sun-dried tomatoes (not in oil)
1 Tbs (15 ml) chopped fresh basil or 1 tsp (5 ml) dried
1 cup (250 ml) milk, half and half, or heavy cream
Sugar, salt, and freshly ground pepper to taste
Chopped chives for garnish

Heat the olive oil in a large pot over moderate heat. Add the
onion, celery, carrot, and garlic and saute until tender but
not brown, about 5 minutes. Add the stock, tomatoes, potato,
sun-dried tomatoes, and basil. Bring to a boil and simmer
covered for 20 minutes, until the vegetables are tender.
Puree in a food processor or blender in small batches until
smooth, straining through a fine sieve if desired. Stir in the
milk or cream and season with sugar, salt, and pepper.
Serve garnished with chopped chives.
Serves 6 to 8.
Received on Wed Jan 5 00:59:11 2011