A Wintery Recipe

I made this wonderful recipe for my Dinner Club on Friday night. It was so yummy! I have never made my own soup before, so I was a little bit worried going into it that it was not going to turn out great. I was wrong. It was awesome! It really was not difficult to make, only took about an hour total, and it was a hit with my girlfriends! I toasted some thin, mini slices of bread in the oven with olive oil and garlic salt to pair with the soup. They can be dipped or broken up to put in the soup. Yum, yum, yummy!

Hearty Tomato Soup with Lemon & Rosemary
Gia*da's Kitchen, Gia*da DeLau*rentiis



Ingredients:
2 tablespoons butter
1 onion, peeled and chopped
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 15-ounce can cannellini (white) beans, drained and rinsed
1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
3 cups chicken broth
1 bay leaf
1 sprig of fresh rosemary, plus 1 teaspoon, minced
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2/3 cup creme fraiche
Zest of one lemon

Directions:
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 rosemary, and 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 a soup pot and keep warm over low heat. Season with salt and pepper.
In a medium bowl fold in the lemon zest and the remaining teaspoon of rosemary to 2/3 cup creme fraiche.

To serve, ladle the soup into bowls and dollop each bowl with the lemon rosemary creme fraiche. Serve immediately.

Makes 6-8 servings