tomato soup for now and later

right now, my 25 tomato plants are yielding pounds and pounds of wonderful tomatoes. i am supplying family and friends and still have more than we can eat. i do can and freeze tomato recipes. last year i blogged fresh marinara saucehttp://the-jill-of-all-trades.blogspot.com/2010_08_01_archive.html, oven dried tomatoeshttp://the-jill-of-all-trades.blogspot.com/2010/08/oven-dried-tomatoes.html and club saucehttp://the-jill-of-all-trades.blogspot.com/2010/08/club-sauce.html. my friend betsy , an artist ,gardener, and good cook , suggested i try her tomato soup. now, i have never been a lover of tomato soup but this recipe has changed my mind. it makes plenty to eat now and freeze for winter. the great thing is that cream, milk or soy milk is added when the soup is heated. betsy also has a blog about her unique and delightful jewelry http://eaststreetpins.blogspot.com/

my version of betsy's tomato soup
ingredients
8 quarts tomatoes

4 large onions
1 bunch celery, yep, the whole thing
1 jalapeno pepper, my addition, seeds too if you want a bite
1 large bunch of parsley

1/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon salt or to taste
pepper

12 ounces butter
1 cup flour

cream, milk or soy when heated

cut up the tomatoes and bring to a boil. simmer till most of the juice is gone. it will take a couple of hours.
meanwhile, wash and cut up the veggies and place in a separate container.

skim enough of the tomato juice off the pot of tomatoes to cover the vegetables and bring to a boil and simmer for an hour.(i put the juice through a strainer to remove any seeds)

puree the vegetables either in a blender, processor or food mill. i used a blending tool for the vegetables and a foley mill for the tomatoes in order to remove the skins and seeds

in another container, melt the butter and add the flour( a roux) stir and lightly brown the roux.

in a large pot, combine the tomatoes, pureed vegetables, roux, sugar and seasonings. boil for 5 minutes. taste and adjust seasonings.

to 2 cups of soup, i added 1 cup of fat free half and half. if i was using milk, it would be closer to equal amounts of each. no portions in the recipe are critical!

the recipe made about 8 pints of the tomato base. most of it made it into the freezer but not all...

                                                                            enjoy!