Lepp Farm Market in Abbotsford is holding a contest to win a $25 gift certificate.
The contest was first presented in May. To enter, find the related post on the Abbotsford News Facebook page and then comment with one ingredient and #BetterWhenShared.
Only one entry is permitted per person, but you can double your entry by sharing the contest with friends.
The contest ends at noon on Friday, Oct. 9.
The recipe below is featured on Lepp Farm Market’s website and is a featured page in the Abbotsford News’ My City publication from Sept. 25.
Roasted Cream of Tomato Soup
Provided by Lepp Farm Market
Ingredients:
6 large beefsteak tomatoes (about 2 lbs. I like to use beefsteak tomatoes for soup rather than Romas, as they’re juicier)
2 large carrots, chopped into two-inch pieces
1 large onion, sweet Okanagan field or Walla Walla
2 large cloves garlic, left in skin
1/3 cup olive oil
4 slices Lepp’s Double Smoked Bacon, chopped into 1/2 inch pieces
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
3 tbsp. tomato paste (this is where it’s handy to have a tube of tomato paste)
2 sprigs thyme
1 bay leaf
4 cups Lepp’s Chicken Stock
1/2 cup whipping cream
to taste salt and freshly ground pepper
Directions:
Core and cut tomatoes in half.
Remove as much of the root pieces of the onion as you can, but leave stem intact. Remove outer layer. Cut into four pieces, cutting from top to bottom (this way the onion doesn’t fall apart when you cut it).
Place all vegetables into a roasting pan, big enough to hold in a single layer and toss with olive oil. Sprinkle with 1 tsp. kosher salt and a few grinds of pepper. Place tomatoes cut side down in the pan, roast for one hour at 350 degrees.
When veggies are cooked and cool enough to handle, pinch the tomato skins with your fingers (they should just slip off), and discard.
Heat a pot, big enough to cook the soup in, and saute the bacon until crispy. Discard bacon fat, and add the smoked paprika and tomato paste, stirring to cook for three minutes. This gives the spice and paste a chance to develop a richer flavour.
Now add the skinned tomatoes, carrots, onion pieces (discard any pieces that are black and chop off the stem end, if still attached). Squeeze the garlic out of the skins, and add to the mixture. Add stock, thyme, bay leaf, salt and pepper to taste, and simmer for 30 minutes.
Remove from heat and discard bay leaf and thyme stems. By now ,the thyme leaves should have fallen off into the soup and you should only be left with woody stems. If not, remove from soup and strip off leaves when cool enough to handle. Remove from heat.
In batches, puree soup in a blender or food processor. Remember to take the clear piece out of the blender lid to allow the hot steam to escape, cover with a tea towel to avoid splattering. Return pureed soup to pot, and add salt and pepper to taste. Add 1/2 cup whipping cream. Reheat gently.
Garnish with croutons, snipped chives, and creme fraiche.
For even more helpful tips on this recipe, go to leppfarmmarket.com/recipes
