Tag: San Marzano tomatoes

Tomato Bisque – Soup Might Not Count as a Meal, but Bisque Certainly Does

It’s been awhile since I dropped a Seinfeld reference, but
this hearty tomato bisque had me reminiscing about the famous “soup’s not a
meal” episode. It’s rich, hearty, and satisfyingly thick without being heavy.
Sorry, Bania, it counts. 


There are different opinions on what makes something a
bisque. Technically, it’s made from some sort of shellfish puree, but modern
usage includes vegetables as well. Above and beyond that, it has to have cream,
and be thickened with rice.

One problem with many of the tomato soups I’ve had, is that
they are either thickened with tons of tomato paste, which is like eating a
bowl of pasta sauce, or they’re thickened with a flour roux or cornstarch slurry,
which leaves them too pasty for me. A little rice thickens the soup just as
well , but also gives it a nice silky texture.

As far as the canned tomatoes go, we’re using the same
argument here we use for tomato sauce. Unless you have some amazingly sweet,
vine-ripened specimens around, that you’ve peeled, seeded, and cooked down to get rid of the excess
moisture, then chances are San Marzano tomatoes will produce a superior
product.

I tried to stress in the video how important it is to adjust
the seasonings to your liking,  especially the sweetness. Many of us were raised on Campbell’s tomato soup
(and grilled cheese sandwiches, of course), and because that flavor is so
ingrained in our taste memories, you need to get this at least close for it to work.
Taste, adjust, taste, adjust, and as always, enjoy!


Ingredients for 6 Portions:
1 tbsp olive oil
1 cup diced onion
1/2 cup diced celery
3 cloves garlic
1 quart chicken broth, plus more as needed
1 (28-oz) can crushed San Marzano tomatoes, or about 3 1/2
cups of other crushed tomatoes
1/2 tsp paprika
3 tbsp white long grain rice
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 or 2 tsp sugar, or to taste
salt and pepper to taste
cayenne to taste
basil to garnish

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Sausage Stuffed Piquillo Peppers – Not So Rare Spanish Beauty

There’s nothing quite like the piquillo pepper. They’re sweet, fruity, slightly smoky, and just bitter enough. For me, they’re the San Marzano tomatoes of peppers. And while I enjoy them in literally anything, these delicate, triangular beauties are just made for stuffing.


I don’t think I’ve ever filled them the same way twice, and while this most recent exploration was quite amazing, who knows what the future will bring. Having said that, this one may be worth repeating. I loved this Spanish-inspired combination of flavors.

The thing to keep in mind is that since you’re only cooking these for about 20 minutes, you’ll want to stay away from things that take longer than that. Things like raw rice, or larger chunks of vegetables just won’t work well here. Thankfully that leaves like a thousand other possible ingredients, so you have that going for you.


These are surprisingly easy to find, and any high-end grocery store should stock them. Gourmet cheese shops almost always have them, and you can find them all over the Internet. If all else fails, ask any Spanish person living near you, and they will know. I hope you give these beautiful peppers a try soon. Enjoy!


Ingredients for 12 Stuffed Piquillo Peppers:
12 Piquillo Peppers
olive oil, as needed
4 oz chorizo, Merguez sausage, or any spicy sausage meat
1/2 cup diced green onions
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup cooked white long grain rice
2 oz goat cheese
2 cloves crushed garlic
2 tbsp parsley, plus more to garnish
cayenne to taste
1 tsp cumin
2 tbsp sliced or chopped almonds
1 tsp blood orange zest
1 tbsp blood orange juice
400 F. for 15-20 minutes

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