Quick Tomato Soup

Adapted from Food52's technique article for a quick tomato soup based on a 28 oz can of tomatoes.

Note: Ingredients are optional and can be subbed with similar other ingredients.

3 or 4 servings

Ingredients:

• 1 onion
• 1 shallot
• 1 or 2 garlic cloves
• 1 generous glug of oil (used a combo of canola, olive and butter)
• Spices (Used salt, black pepper, red pepper flakes, a generous pinch of Urfa pepper, and a generous pinch of a generic Italian blend)
• 28 oz can of tomatoes (if whole, break up with your hands - we prefer diced fire roasted tomatoes)
• 1 cup broth (used 1 cup water and 1 teaspoon better than bouillon organic chicken)
• Water
• Cream (totally optional - more for color, especially if you already used butter to cook the alliums)

Method:

1. Chop alliums (onions, shallot, garlic). Saute in your generous glug of oil. Add spices. Cook until soft.
2. Add can of tomatoes and cup of broth. Simmer for 20 or 30 minutes. Vary heat depending on whether you want it to thicken. (Note: it will thicken too if you just let it stand, so be prepared for that.)
3. Taste. Add salt, black pepper and/or cream depending on taste and how red you like it.
4. Turn off heat and cool. You don't need to cool it much if you're using an immersion blender, but let it cool significantly if using a blender.
5. Blend. For smooth soup, blend it all. For chunk soup, blend half of it or use an immersion blender.
6. Reheat to serve. Serve, ideally, with grilled cheese or quesadillas.