Tomatoes

Gourmet Creamy Baked Tomato Soup

URB’N’SPICE ULTIMATE RECIPE SERIES

The weather is starting to change where I live in the Okanagan. Mornings are chilly and the day is shorter. Time to make Gourmet Creamy Baked Tomato Soup! This is what my family considers to be “real” tomato soup and this flavourful soup is a favourite requested for birthday dinners and family gatherings.

Gourmet Creamy Baked Tomato Soup is similar in style to French Onion Soup, where the finished soup is ladled into an individual baking dish, topped with a buttered and toasted crusty piece of French bread and covered with a thick covering of cheese. This soup can easily be adapted to a gluten-free, dairy-free and vegetarian dietary option. We like to serve this soup with crispy grilled cheese sandwiches, cut into small strips (or ‘fingers’, as we call them) – perfect for dipping!

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Homemade Grape Tomato Ketchup

By Denise Pare-Watson

The Inspiration of Urb’n’Spice Series

One of my most vivid childhood food memories is the aroma in my house when my Mom made ketchup from the bumper crop of tomatoes we always grew in our large backyard garden. The indescribable scent both piquant and zesty wafted throughout the house drawing everyone into the kitchen to peek into the bubbling pot. While I no longer have the large garden of my childhood, I am lucky enough to live in a wonderful part of Canada where fresh produce is easily accessible. The recipe I have provided below for Homemade Grape Tomato Ketchup is easy to make and a great project for you to try when tomatoes are plentiful. Once you have tasted your own homemade ketchup, you may never go back to store-bought again. I have used grape tomatoes in this recipe – their sweetness and flavour lend themselves well to making this popular condiment. Any tomato variety can be used for this recipe (see the proportions below), and even a mixture of fresh and canned tomatoes work well. Give it a try! It is well worth the effort. Skip to Recipe

Homemade Grape Tomato Ketchup

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Tomato-Potato Soup with Roasted Garlic

By Denise Pare-Watson

For those who know me well, two things are quite clear. One, I love cookbooks and have an extensive collection. They are like treasured friends. Two, making soup is something that I love to do – several times a week. I welcomed the opportunity to review The Soup Sisters newest cookbook, “The Soup Sisters Family Cookbook – More Than 100 Family-Friendly Recipes To Make and share with Kids of All Ages”. I am pleased to share with you today one of their featured recipes called, “Tomato-Potato Soup with Roasted Garlic” which is an uncomplicated, fast and flavourful soup to make.

Skip to Recipe

The recipes are categorized in the most interesting way:

Garden Grown: Soups for all seasons where fresh vegetables take a starring role
Magic Beans: Soups made with pulses (split peas, chickpeas, beans, lentils & more)
Noodling Around: Soups stocked up with noodles and stuffed pasta
The Main Event: Hearty Main Course Soups packed with chicken, beef, pork, fish or seafood
Chill Out: Soups created to be eaten cold

Here is an example from each category:

Autumn Pear (or Apple) and Parsnip Soup
BLT: Bacon, Lentil and Tomato Soup
Dragon Soup
Cabbage Roll Soup
Roasted Okanagan Tomato Gazpacho

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Tomato Herb Salsa

By Denise Pare-Watson

This is one of the most versatile salsas that I have ever made. This Tomato Herb Salsa has graced our table through many types of events, from Happy Hour to Block Parties to many summertime meals and Back Yard BBQs.

Fresh Tomato Herb Salsa

I have served this Tomato Herb Salsa for appetizer parties to accompany pita crisps (do you know about pita crisps?); for flatbreads; for bruschetta; for quesadillas; for pizzas; to top hubby’s famous hamburgers; and most recently, to garnish the top of Home Welcoming Hearty Black Bean Soup. It will be a welcome addition to your appetizer repertoire. Pour a glass of wine for your guests while you prepare this quick and easy salsa. Grab a bag of sturdy chips and enjoy this fresh salsa.

Hearty Black Bean Soup with Fresh Tomato Herb Salsa

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Roasted Tomato Compote

By Denise Pare-Watson

You may recall a post about “thinking outside of the box……or, rings”, and at the time mentioned that perhaps knowing the technique pertaining to how to make Roasted Tomato Compote is a very good thing to know. (Besides, tomatoes are readily available at this time of year).

To tell you the truth, ketchup in our household has considerably lost status in the fridge and on the kitchen table since we started making this condiment.

If you have an abundance of tomatoes, make a point of trying this. You may find yourself making an unexpected trip to the market or grocer to buy tomatoes just for the pure purpose of making this compote.

Arancini served with Roasted Tomato Compote| urbnspice.com

ROASTED TOMATO COMPOTE

CHEF TALK: Any variety of tomato will work, although some varieties, like Roma, are a little drier and roast beautifully. Cherry tomatoes are also wonderful in this compote.

Poached Eggs with Roasted Tomato Compote

ROASTED TOMATO COMPOTE

INGREDIENTS:

1 lb. ripe tomatoes
1/2 onion, diced
2 cloves of garlic, peeled and left whole
Olive oil or vegetable oil
A drizzle of balsamic (optional)
Seasoning (salt and pepper) to taste

METHOD:

Preheat oven to 350°F
Prepare a baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper
Halve the tomatoes, dice the onion and peel the garlic cloves. Place in a stainless steel bowl.
Drizzle the tomatoes, garlic and onion with olive oil and season to taste with salt and pepper.
Place on the baking sheet (place the tomatoes cut side down).
Roast for 15 – 30 minutes, depending on the size of your tomatoes (or until the tomatoes have shrivelled and turned a darker shade of red. The onions will be golden around the edges.
Cool slightly. You should be able to remove the skins from the tomatoes easily by lifting them off of the tomatoes. (Leave the skins on, if you want).
Crush the tomatoes, if you feel it is necessary, however, I tend not to. Just drizzle them with a little balsamic vinegar, if you want, and place the whole lot in a container without handling them too much. Fresh basil or oregano is nice if you have them readily available.
Serve it alongside a poached egg or meat for a simple condiment, or a small plate appetizer such as arancini.

Enjoy!

WHAT ELSE CAN I DO WITH THIS RECIPE?

If you make a little extra Roasted Tomato Compote, serve it as an appetizer on top of crostini and a bit of crumbled goat cheese with a sprinkling of fresh chives. Voila – a beautiful appetizer.

You Might Also Enjoy:

Arancini – Italian Rice Balls

Poached Eggs and Compote

Caramelized Onion Dip

If you give this recipe for Roasted Tomato Compote a try, please leave me a comment below with your feedback.

And you can find me on social media – just be sure to tag @urbnspice and #urbnspice so I am sure to see it. Enjoy!

Denise Paré-Watson

The Urbnspice Chef

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Inspiration of the Day – Sweet Strawberry Tomatoes

By Denise Pare-Watson

The Inspiration of UrbnSpice Series

These little gems are Sweet Strawberry Tomatoes. Are they not the prettiest thing that you have seen today? (Other than my post of the wee one baking sugar cookies). I could not resist buying them – these Sweet Strawberry Tomatoes became my Inspiration of the Day.

Inspiration of the Day: Strawberry Tomatoes | urbnspice.com

The inspiration of the Day: Strawberry Tomatoes

I have great fun in the market this time of year as the local produce is arriving and is proudly displayed by the greengrocer staff. I am sure that the produce guys wonder as I travel through their displays, exclaiming my great delight while taking photos with my iPhone. I wonder which of the selections I find today will be discussed, cooked, photographed and eaten first? There are not enough hours in a day when there are already a few too many irons in the fire.

For these beauties, the most simple of cooking methods will occur today with another discovery today – rice bran oil! As much as I adore using olive oil with tomatoes, I felt this was a perfect opportunity to try this oil. It has a clean, delicate taste, a high smoke point and, bonus – it also claims many health benefits.

Preparing to Roast the Sweet Strawberry Tomatoes

Roasted Strawberry Tomatoes

INGREDIENTS:

2 vines strawberry tomatoes (about 1/2 lb)
One or two garlic cloves, slivered
Rice Bran Oil, (or Olive Oil) as needed
Salt and pepper to taste

METHOD:

Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Place the tomatoes (on the vine) and the slivered garlic on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Season with salt and pepper.
Roast until the skin starts to shrivel a bit – about 10 minutes.
Serve directly on top of the dish of your choice; for example, with a lovely grilled steak. Enjoy with a glass of red wine.

Roasted Sweet Strawberry Tomatoes

You Might Also Enjoy:

Roasted Tomato Compote

Roasted Potato Salad with Bacon and Chives – Double Duty Recipe Series

Roasted Strawberry Compote with Chicken

Further Resources:

Learn More About Vine Sweet Strawberry Tomatoes

Rice Bran Oil

Health Benefits of Rice Bran Oil

If you try my recipe for Roasted Tomato Compote, please leave me a comment below with your feedback.

You can find me on social media (see links below) – just be sure to tag @urbnspice and #urbnspice so I am sure to see it. Enjoy!

Denise Paré-Watson

The Urbnspice Chef

Follow me on Social Media

Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Pinterest | Instagram

Favourite Kitchen Tools – My Immersion Blender

By Denise Pare-Watson

Favourite Kitchen Tools Series

“The best twenty bucks I have ever spent” applies to this small kitchen tool. This time, I will review a somewhat smaller appliance – powerful in its versatility and convenience – the hand blender, otherwise known as the Immersion Blender in my series, Favourite Kitchen Tools.

I now prepare many more pureed soups and sauces since the purchase of my immersion blender. I utilize the blender in the production of a wide range of food items, for example, baby food, pureed soups, pan sauces, applesauce, and morning breakfast drinks. This is a sequel to the recent post regarding my favourite kitchen tools (see “Time Saver, Money Saver, Food Saver”)

: Immersion Blender – A favourite Kitchen Tool

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Tomato Dill Soup

By Denise Pare-Watson

This recipe for Tomato Dill Soup is super easy and quick to make. It is a great make-ahead soup because it can be served hot or cold. It is light and refreshing. I use an immersion blender to puree the soup. An immersion blender is one of my favourite kitchen tools and I discuss ways of using this handy, dandy small appliance in this post, called My Immersion Blender from my series Favourite Kitchen Tools.

The finished Tomato Dill Soup

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