Skip to content

Robert St. John

Restaurateur, author, enthusiastic traveler, & world-class eater.

Tomato Soup

Ingredients

18                    Roma tomatoes, ripe

1 tsp                Bacon grease (or canola oil)

1 1 /2 cup        Onion, minced

1 /2 cup           Carrots, shredded

1 /2 cup           Celery, minced

1 Tbsp              Garlic, minced

1 /4 tsp             Dried Basil

1 tsp                  Black pepper, freshly ground

1 /8 tsp             Dried Thyme

1 quart              Chicken broth

2 cups               V-8 juice

1 /2 cup            Butter

3 /4 cup           Flour

2 cups              Cream

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Place tomatoes on a baking sheet and roast 25 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool. When cooled remove the skin. Rough chop the tomatoes and set aside, reserving as much juice as possible. In a large heavy-duty stockpot heat bacon grease over medium heat. Add onion, carrot, celery, garlic, salt, pepper and dry herbs. Cook for six to seven minutes, until vegetables become tender. Add chopped tomatoes and their juice continuing to cook for 10 minutes. Stir often. Add in broth and V-8 juice and bring to a slow simmer. Melt butter in a small skillet over medium heat and stir in flour to make a light blond roux. Stir the roux into the simmering mixture and continue cooking for 10 minutes. Add cream and bring back to a simmer. As soon as soup reaches a simmer, remove it from heat and serve.

Yield: one gallon

Recent Recipes

Apple French Toast

French toast has been a favorite since childhood—probably one of the first things I could make on my own. Pancakes were my grandmother Muz’s domain, but French toast was all mine. King’s Hawaiian Bread is always a solid choice, but if you can find a bakery that makes fresh brioche or sweet sourdough, grab it. Never been shy about my love for apples, especially Honey Crisp and Fuji. Apple pie’s always been my go-to, but this recipe takes the best part of apple pie and turns it into breakfast.

Read more

Pie Dough

This crust has been the base for countless savory pies over the years. The key is keeping the butter ice-cold and giving the dough enough time to rest in the refrigerator. For a little twist, add 1 tablespoon of freshly cracked black pepper or 2 tablespoons of finely chopped chives to the flour mixture.

Read more

Denver Omelet Quiche

I love quiche. To me, it’s great for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. In the morning, it’s perfect with fresh fruit. At lunch or dinner, it pairs well with a light salad. Never use the pre-shredded cheese in plastic bags from the dairy case. It's dusted with cellulose, which messes with the texture and flavor. Always grate cheese from a block. It’s an extra step but it will save money and taste so much better.

Read more