Roasted Tomato and Corn Soup

Roasted Tomato and Corn Soup tastes like it has cooked for hours.  Serve it to company or sit with a mug of this by the fire.  I love anything that involves tomatoes and living in Canada’s Tomato Capital, makes me smile everyday.

Nonno and Tomatoes

I reminisce about my nonno Salvatore a lot; he had his dreams coming to this country from Italy and they were all fulfilled.  When I think of him I love remembering his skills as a farmer.  When he purchased his house at 581 Parliament St. in Sault Ste. Maire, his one request was a large lot to plant his garden.  It was in that garden that we got a glimpse of his expertise.

The tomato plants all started inside the house from seeds that nonno and nonna dried out the previous year.  They were planted with love and care and it was almost an assembly line.  We helped put the dirt in the tiny cups and then the seeds went in.  No, there were no greenhouses in those days to go buy the plants.

One thing that sticks out the most was the large barrel of manure that sat in his backyard.  Now that was not cool, when we brought non-Italian kids to the house.  As the weather got hotter, we avoided that barrel, and yes it was animal feces; a farmer friend of his delivered the cow dung and nonno accepted it each year.  Like clock work he churned that barrel every few days. My nonna’s cooking aromas seeped out of the window and masked the smell of the fermenting barrel.

One thing I know for sure, he grew the best tomatoes on the block and I loved eating them any way nonna and mom prepared them.  These days I experiment with a variety of recipes.  I love roasting vegetables and I often roast tomatoes to give them another depth of flavour.

I think you will enjoy this recipe.

 These are strawberry tomatoes that I buy at a local greenhouse.  Roasting them will intensify the flavour.

 The roasting is done and it leaves the vegetables caramalized.

They go straight into a pot of stock.  Bring to a boil and simmer for 20 minutes.

I love to use frozen corn when I don’t have fresh.  Toast it and add it to the soup after you purée it with a hand blender.

 The tomato purée and corn.

 Serve it with small crostini with swiss cheese and a little balsamic glaze.

Print

Roasted Tomato and Corn Soup

The roasted tomato flavour highlights this soup. 

Course Main Course

Cuisine Home Cooking in Canada, Italian

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes

Total Time 2 hours

Servings 4

Author Renata Solski

Ingredients

The tomatoes

• 4 cups small tomatoes such as cherry I used strawberry
• 1 large onion
• 4 cloves garlic
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning that includes red pepper chilli flakes
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• salt and pepper

The Corn

• 2 cups corn I use frozen
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• salt and pepper

The Soup

• 4 cups vegetable or chicken stock

The baquette cheese crostini

• 1 small baquette
• 1 tsp olive oil
• sliced swiss cheese

Instructions

The Tomatoes

1. Set oven to 375 F.

   Line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper.

   Slice the tomatoes in half.  

   Dice the onion and peel the garlic.

   Toss tomatoes, onions and garlic with Italian seasoning, olive oil, salt and pepper.

   Place in oven for 30 to 40 minutes. 

The Corn

1. Remove corn from freezer and thaw at room temperature.

   Place in a frying pan with 1 tbsp olive oil.

   Salt and pepper.

   Toast the corn on medium heat.

   It should be golden brown.

   
   

Assembly

1. Place the stock in a pot over medium heat.

   Add the roasted tomatoes, onions and garlic right to the broth.

   Bring to a boil and simmer for 20 minutes.

   Remove from heat and pulse with a hand blender.

   Add corn and return to heat just to warm.

   Slice some baguette and toast it on a grill by brushing it with olive oil.

   Add some swiss cheese over the tops and melt on the grill. 

   Serve the mini cheese crostini over the soup.

   Sprinkle with chopped parsley.