PUREE OF TOMATO BEAN SOUP

PUREE OF TOMATO BEAN SOUP

with carrot, tarragon, basil, lemon and garlic. Topped with a garlic, tarragon mashed potato ball! Garnished with fresh parsley!  Light, fresh but rich tasting, soothing, spicy, tangy, sweet, subtly exciting! A perfect Autumn soup!

Makes 6 cups

16 oz. can Heinz Vegetarian Beans

14-1/2 oz. can sliced carrots including liquid

1 c. canned diced tomatoes including some liquid

1 c. water

2 T. extra virgin olive oil

10.75 oz. can condensed tomato soup

1 c. additional water

1 t. dried basil, crushed

1 t. dried tarragon, crushed

1 t. salt

1/4 t. mild paprika

1/8 t. red cayenne pepper

1/8 t. ground allspice

2 T. juice of fresh lemon

freshly ground pepper to taste

2 T. margarine

salt to taste

Mashed Potato:

2 c. boiling water

1/2 – 1 t. salt (taste)

1 t. dried tarragon, crushed

2 c. instant mashed potatoes (I used Karlin brand)

1 T. margarine

1 T. extra virgin olive oil

freshly ground black pepper to taste

fresh parsley for garnish (optional)

Place beans, carrots, tomatoes and water in blender container. Blend on low speed to mix, then on higher speed till smooth.

In large saucepan, over medium-low heat, melt olive oil. Pour blender contents into pan.

Add tomato soup, additional water, basil, tarragon, salt, paprika, red cayenne pepper and lemon juice. Stir well till smooth. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes.

Add margarine, stir to melt, then salt to taste.

Meanwhile, make mashed potatoes.

In large bowl, place 2 cups boiling water.

Add salt and tarragon. Stir well, then let set a couple minutes to soften the tarragon.

Add instant mashed potatoes. Stir with fork till moistened and mealy.

Add margarine and olive oil. Stir to evenly distribute.

Now, stir in as much additional boiling water, to achieve a thicker than usual consistency, since we’ll be dropping it into each soup bowl, but still creamy,

To serve: Ladle 1 cup soup into individual soup bowls. Using a flatware tablespoon, scoop about 1/4 – 1/3 cup potato against the side of the potato bowl, rolling it back and forth to form a ball or oval, then carefully drop into center of each soup bowl. You want some of it exposed, like the top of an iceberg.

Garnish with fresh parsley and freshly ground black pepper if desired.

Notes: Unless you knew the name of the soup, you wouldn’t guess it contained beans and carrots. The soup, over night, becomes a little thicker and the flavors more prominent. It’s delicious either way.

The mashed potatoes, in this instance, don’t require an alternate milk source.

I made this soup for Steve after he had two teeth extractions. It filled him up – he had five bowls, so I know he liked it – and it didn’t irritate the fresh wounds.