Deaf Pagan Crossroads

If you are ever in the Lancaster, Pennsylvania area (Pennsylvania Dutch country, where the Amish are), be sure to stop at a restaurant called The Brasserie – a 1920’s home that has been converted into a bar and restaurant serving delicious food. They make the best tomato bisque I have tasted anywhere! It is served sort of like French Onion Soup…they top it with croutons and melted cheese. Absolutely divine!

I was lucky enough to get the recipe, and I share it with you here. This is a great way of using those summer tomatoes, and a good recipe for celebrating Lughnasadh!

Tomato Bisque with Croutons and Cheese

16 ½ inch thick slices of French Bread (the long baguette style bread)

Olive Oil

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees, and place bread slices on a heavy cookie sheet. Brush both sides of bread with the oil, and bake until golden brown, about ten minutes. Set aside to cool.

One stick of unsalted sweet butter

1 large fresh tomato, chopped

1 carrot, peeled and chopped

1 large celery stalk, chopped

1 small onion, chopped

1 teaspoon chopped garlic

1 28-ounce can of crushed tomatoes with juice/puree

¾ cup tomato juice

3 tablespoons of tomato paste

2 tablespoons golden brown sugar

¼ teaspoon pepper (use white pepper if you have it)

In a large pot melt THREE TABLESPOONS of the butter over low heat. Add the chopped tomato, carrot, celery, and HALF of the chopped onion, and cook for ten minutes, stirring occasionally so it doesn’t burn. Add the garlic and cook for another two minutes. Now add in your can of crushed tomatoes, the tomato juice, tomato paste, sugar, and pepper. Mix it all together, cover and cook over low heat for one and one-half hours (90 minutes), stirring occasionally to keep it from burning. Cool the tomato mixture so it’s not too hot, and then puree it in batches in the blender until smooth, putting it into a bowl or container as you puree it. Put the bowl/container of puree in the refrigerator until you need it.

Note: while my original recipe says to puree this in the blender, I think you could also do it easily with a hand-held blender, just cool down the tomato mixture, then insert the blender and move it around, blending the mixture until it’s nice and smooth. I’m not sure about using a food processor – mine always tends to leak a bit, but I think you could use that as well.

(the remainder of your stick of unsalted butter, and the remaining half of the chopped onion)

1 large fresh tomato, chopped

½ pound of fresh mushrooms, sliced (you can just use regular white mushrooms)

Either two teaspoons of fresh chopped herbs, or one teaspoon of dried herbs

Recommended herbs: parsley, oregano, thyme, basil – use any or all

1 cup whipping cream

2 cups of broth or stock – while chicken stock is recommended, you can also use vegetable broth if you prefer a vegetarian soup

Melt the remaining butter from your stick of butter in the pot over medium heat, and add your remaining onion, the mushrooms, and herbs. Saute until shrooms and onion are tender, about eight minutes. Mix in the tomato puree from above (that you have been storing in the refrigerator), the chopped tomato and the cream. Your soup will be very thick. Add enough stock or broth to thin it down…you may need to use the entire two cups, or if you like your soup a bit thicker, use just as much as you desire.

This soup can be made in advance, and stored in the refrigerator. Put a piece of plastic wrap directly on top of the soup to prevent it from developing a skim, and then cover and store. However, it is recommended not to store this soup past a few days, as it does lose some flavor and can spoil.

You can also store your croutons in a plastic bag at room temperature.

Shredded mozzarella cheese

Thin slice of provolone cheese

When you are ready to serve your soup, ladle it into large oven-proof soup bowls or crocks. Top each bowl with 2 croutons. Place a handful of shredded mozzarella cheese and a slice of provolone cheese on top of the croutons. Place the soup under the broiler, and broil for about one minute, until the cheese melts and the soup bubbles. Remove carefully (the bowl will be hot!) and serve.

This recipe makes eight servings.