Tomato Soup from the Garden . . .

My husband deliberately planted his eight tomato plants about four feet apart to provide room for getting between them to pick the produce. Well, I look out the kitchen window and it looks like the beginning of a tomato invasion. With that in mind, the only way to fight the battle is to freeze, dry, and cook tomatoes. Salads with generous helpings of Feta cheese is also on my battle plan.

Tomato Soup from the Garden
15-20 medium to large tomatoes
2 brown onions
8 stalks of celery, finely diced
3 carrots, peeled and finely diced
2 cups beef or chicken stock
6 slices of bacon
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
Pinch of chili flakes
1 teaspoon granulated onion
1 teaspoon granulated garlic
Salt and pepper to taste
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon oregano
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Toss in the tomatoes and within a couple of minutes, drain the pot, and douse the tomatoes with ice cold water. This will help you slip off the peels.

Slice up the onions and place them with the peeled tomatoes, garlic, celery, and carrots into a large soup pot. Cover and let simmer for approximately 15 minutes. Add stock, granulated onion, granulated garlic, salt, pepper, bay leaves, oregano, sugar, and bacon. Cook on a slow heat for about two hours. When the vegetables have softened (halfway through cooking), mash them together. A potato masher works great for this. After two hours, remove from stove, and let cool down a bit. Puree in batches until very smooth and return to cooking pot. Taste for seasoning.

In another pot, melt the butter and then, add the flour. Cook a bit to combine but do not brown. Stir into the soup and continue cooking until the soup thickens.

Makes enough to make 8 first courses or 4-6 bowls for a main course.

Ideas . . .
Make or buy croutons to scatter on each bowl before serving.
Make a pot of rice and ladel soup over individual portions.
Sprinkle with Feta cheese before serving.
Serve over freshly boiled pasta.
Goes great with grilled cheese sandwiches.