Ginza Farmers Roasted Tomato Soup

This post is also available in: Japanese

Get energized through the cold Tokyo winter with this nutrient-packed hearty soup. One batch of this is good to feed four with some to spare for the next day’s lunch. Enjoy, and check out the recipe that this is adapted from at Thug Kitchen.

Equipment: oven, baking pan, oven paper or foil, medium mixing bowls, blender or food processor, medium pot

Ingredients:
4 large Yoshi-san Kamakura tomatoes
2 Aki-san Hokkaido potatoes
1 head Maeda-san Miyazaki broccoli
2 stalks celery from the 3 for 500 guys
3 cloves Oji-san Aomori garlic
1/2 super-sweet Aki-san Gifu onion
2 tbsp evoo plus a splash for the pan
1 tbsp fresh rosemary (or 1 tsp dried)
1 tsp dried thyme
2 cups vegetable broth
1/2-1 cup filtered water
Salt and pepper

Directions:

Before doing anything, admire your lovely farmers market ingredients.

 
Then start by de-stemming and de-skinning the tomatoes – I like to slowly turn each one over a flame and peel the skin off. Alternatively you can blanch them as described in this video.

Take a moment to appreciate your Yoshi-san’s lush red skinned tomatoes and pre-heat the oven to 170C (340F).

 
Cover your oven pan with paper or foil and grease it down with evoo. Halve the tomatoes, dip the whole garlic cloves in olive oil, and arrange everything nicely on the pan. Roast for 30 minutes.

While you are roasting the first batch, prepare the remaining veggies – cut the broccoli and celery into chunks, and peel and dice the potatoes and onions. In one bowl, mix the broccoli and celery with 1T olive oil, salt and pepper. In another bowl, mix the diced potatoes and onions with 1T olive oil, salt, pepper, rosemary, and thyme.

After 30 minutes is up, keep the oven hot and add the remaining veggies to the pan. Pop it back in and roast another 30 minutes.

 
During the second roasting session make your veggie broth.

 
After the veggies are finished – have a look at that pan of roasted goodness! Separate out the broccoli and celery and anything else you want to remain whole in the finished soup.

 
Pop the garlic out of its skin and place it with the veggies destined for the blender.

 
Add those to the blender with the broth and an extra 1/2 cup of water (1 cup if you like your soup thinner). Blend until smooth.

 
Home stretch – add the whole vegetables and blended mixture to a pot, bring to a simmer and simmer uncovered for 10 minutes.

Enjoy your hearty winter roasted tomato soup with fresh bread, a Ginza Farmers salad and Hiro-san’s life-changing sesame dressing. Itadakimasu!

Nutrition info: makes 4 500g servings. Per serving, 219 calories, 10g fat (1g saturated), 0 cholesterol, 30g carbs (8g fiber), 7g protein, 670mg sodium. Vitamins and minerals: Vitamin A 50%, Vitamin C 160%, Vitamin K 170%, Vitamin B6 30%, Folate 30%, Potassium 30%, Manganese 30%

Cost info: 1270 yen, of which tomatoes 400, potatoes 120, broccoli 250, celery 170, garlic 80, onion 80, olive oil 90, veggie broth 40, rosemary 20, thyme 20, salt and pepper 10

Filed under: Fall, Winter, soup, appetizer, side, main, lunch, dinner