When it snows I always want to make some kind of soup and I had been craving one in particular for a while: tomato soup with a panini margherita. It is a weight watchers recipe and it makes so much that we had leftovers for about five days and I still froze some (FYI.....it freezes great).
Here's the recipe:
Fresh
Tomato Soup:
¼ cup unsalted butter
1 red onion, finely chopped
1 small carrot, finely chopped
4 lb. tomatoes, peeled and chopped
3 cups chicken stock
1 fresh basil sprig
½ tsp. dried thyme
1 bay leaf
1 ½ cups fresh white bread crumbs
1 cup light cream
salt and white pepper
2 tbsp. shred basil leaves for garnish
1 tbsp. sugar, if tomatoes are less than
their best
In a large saucepan, melt the butter.
Add the onion, carrot and sauté for 2-3 minutes. Add the tomatoes, stock, basil
sprig, thyme, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for
about 30 minutes.
Discard bay leaf and stir in bread
crumbs. In small batches, puree the soup in a food processor or blender. Force
the puree through a strainer using a wooden spoon. Return the puree to pan,
stir in the cream and warmed bowls and garnish with the shredded basil.
Panini
Margherita
16 slices tomato
8 slices rustic French bread loaf
¼ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. black pepper
1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella
cheese
12 fresh basil leaves
8 tsp. olive oil
Divide tomato slices evenly among four
bread slices, and sprinkle evenly with salt and pepper. Sprinkle cheese evenly
over tomatoes. Arrange basil leaves over cheese, cover with bread slice.
Drizzle olive oil over top of each sandwich; coat with cooking spray.
Place a grill pan or skillet over medium-high.
Place sandwiches, oil sides down, in pan. Drizzle 1 tsp olive oil over top of
each sandwich, and coat with cooking spray. Place a piece of foil over
sandwiches in pan; place a heavy skillet on top of foil to press sandwiches.
Cook for two minutes. Turn sandwiches over, repeat. Then serve with tomato
soup.
Enjoy making it!
