Hearty Tomato Soup with Lemon and Rosemary Cream AND Pecorino Crackers

This Hearty Tomato Soup with Lemon and Rosemary Cream is definitely a grown-up version of the traditional tomato soup. This is a hearty soup, with lots of body, thanks in part to the addition of the cannelini beans. This recipe is another winner from Giada's Kitchen, which in my opinion, is her best cookbook yet.

Hearty Tomato Soup with Lemon and Rosemary Cream
Serves 6-8
About 250 delicious calories, even with a dollop of cream
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 onion, peeled and chopped
2 carrots, peeled and chopped (about 1 cup)
2 garlic cloves, chopped (I think I used about 4-5 cloves)
1 (15 ounce) can cannelini (white) beans, drained and rinsed
1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
3 cups chicken broth
1 bay leaf
2 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary (I used dried)
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (I used about 1 tsp. red pepper flakes)
salt and pepper to taste
2/3 cup heavy cream
Zest of one lemon

In a large soup pot, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrots, and garlic and cook until the vegetables are tender, about 4 minutes. Add the beans, tomatoes, broth, bay leaf, 1 teaspoon of the rosemary, and the red pepper flakes. Bring the soup to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes, covered.
Puree the soup in a blender in batches, being careful to remove and discard the bay leaf. Return the soup to the soup pot and keep warm over low heat. Season with salt and pepper.
In a medium bowl, whip the cream to soft peaks. Fold in the lemon zest and remaining teaspoon of rosemary. To serve, ladle the soup into bowls and dollop with lemon-rosemary whipped cream. Serve immediately.


Pecorino Crackers
Makes 24 crackers
1-1/4 cups freshly grated Pecorino Romano
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temp
1 cup all-purpose flour

Preheat oven to 350F. Line 1 or 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Combine the cheese, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper in a medium bowl and stir to combine. Add the butter. Using a hand mixer, beat the cheese mixture and butter until combined. Add the flour 1/4 cup at a time, mixing only until incorporated and the mixture holds together. Place tablespoon-size balls of the dough on the parchment-lined baking sheets, tapping the dough down gently with your fingertips. Bake until just beginning to brown at the edges, about 15 minutes. Let the crackers cool on the baking sheets for a few minutes, then transfer them to a serving plate.




Notes/Results: I really liked this tomato soup. In fact, I think I almost liked it better without the dollop of cream. The soup itself has a lot of body, from the beans, and a wonderful fresh flavor. It seems that the carrots helped to tone down the acidity of the tomatoes. Either that, or the San Marzano tomatoes really make some great soup. The dollop of lemon and rosemary cream is a fun addition and makes this a great soup to serve to company. It's very pretty! This is a healthy soup that will become a staple recipe for me. It's low in calories, even with the addition of cream. The crackers, on the other hand, are dangerous. They are really good and addictive. I baked up 6 of them and then I ate four very quickly. After eating four of them in a row, I reasoned with myself and put the rest of the dough in the refrigerator so I could share the love later. They are buttery, cheesy, crispy deliciousness and pair wonderfully with this soup.

I am sending this recipe over to my friend Deb at Kahakai Kitchen for her Souper Sundays roundup. Each Sunday, Deb has a roundup of soups, salad and sandwiches. Check it out!