Tomato Rice Soup

Time for dinner: Make your own tomato soup

By J.M. Hirsch
Associated Press

Updated: 01/15/2009 02:30:08 PM CST

A magnificent tomato and rice soup must strike a delicate balance between rich creaminess (provided by, yes, cream) and tangy savoriness (you guessed it, the tomatoes).

Let's start with the latter. Since soups like this are best during winter, a time when most of the nation is at the mercy of lousy tomatoes, this recipe uses canned tomatoes.

To intensify the flavors, the tomatoes are pressed to extract as much juice as possible, then tossed with chopped onion, olive oil and herbs, then broiled until just lightly caramelized. A little heat goes a long way in developing flavor. This mixture then is pureed with the extracted juice and spiked with a bit of balsamic vinegar.

For the cream, fat-free half-and-half was the winner. Really. The taste is exceptional, as is the creamy mouth-feel. To make this soup even healthier, you could substitute brown rice for the white, but that will take longer to cook.

CREAMY TOMATO AND RICE SOUP

Makes 6 servings.

1 cup long-grain white rice

1 1/2 cups water

1 can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes

1 large yellow onion, roughly chopped

6 cloves garlic, peeled

1/2 teaspoon dried basil

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 sprigs fresh rosemary

Salt and ground black pepper, to taste

1 can (15 ounces) tomato sauce

1 cup chicken broth

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1 cup fat-free half-and-half

To cook rice: In small saucepan, combine rice and water. Bring to a boil. Cover. Reduce to simmer. Cook for 20 minutes or until done. Remove from heat. Let stand for 10 minutes.

To prepare tomatoes: Meanwhile, heat oven to broil. Drain diced tomatoes by pouring them into mesh strainer set over medium bowl. Using silicone spatula, press tomatoes to extract as much juice as possible. Set juice aside. Transfer diced tomatoes to rimmed baking sheet. Add onion, garlic, basil and olive oil. Strip leaves from rosemary sprigs. Add to tomatoes and onions. Toss to coat well. Season with salt and pepper. Broil tomato mixture on center rack for 4 minutes. Gently stir. Broil for 4 minutes or until onions and tomatoes begin to brown.

To puree tomatoes: Transfer mixture to a blender. Add reserved tomato juice. Puree until smooth.

To finish soup: When rice is ready, add tomato mixture from blender. Set over medium heat. Add tomato sauce, chicken broth and balsamic vinegar. Heat until warmed through. Stir in half-and-half.