Local, organic, health-conscious, supremely tasty…what more could you want out of lunch? There’s a lot more revolution at Rev Soup these days, and the good, healthy folks of Charlottesville are thrilled. The little Downtown kitchen is steeped in the virtue of clear communication—the origins and farming methods of almost every ingredient are posted on the walls, some of it even coming out of the owner’s garden—and the new Corner location (on 14th Street) boasts much of the same, but it’s bigger.
Revolutionary Soup’s Tomato Basil Bisque gets fresh (as in fresh herbs) with us.
|
The Tomato Basil Bisque is a spot-on choice for any season, served up with a fresh salad or a fat, melty grilled cheese. To do it right, use fresh herbs; though the oils in dried herbs are more concentrated, freshly picked translates into a richer, deeper flavor. (Another tip for all herb-laden recipes: If you’ve got fresh parsley, you can use it to boost the taste of your dried herbs by sprinkling them together while chopping.) If you’re not familiar with the term "sweat" in cooking, imagine the opposite of sautéing—rather than cooking over high heat to retain the moisture, you’re trying to get the food to release its juices by heating it gently in liquid or oil.
3 Tbs. olive oil
4 cloves garlic
2 cup diced onion
1 cup diced carrot
1/4 cup dried basil
1 tsp. marjoram
1 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. thyme
2 lb. garden ripe tomatoes, chopped
2 cups tomato purée
2 qt. chicken stock or water
1 pint heavy or light cream
salt and pepper to taste
Roast garlic cloves in olive oil until garlic is a light golden brown. Remove garlic, set aside, and reserve oil. Sauté onion over medium heat in garlic oil, then add carrot and sweat for five minutes. Add basil, marjoram, oregano and thyme and sauté for an additional two minutes. Add chopped tomatoes, purée, roasted garlic and stock/water. Simmer about 30 minutes. Remove soup from heat. Add cream and purée with hand blender. Salt and pepper to taste.
