Comfort Food and Easy Entertaining

As a private chef, caterer and cooking instructor I am often asked "What do you enjoy cooking when you're at home on a weeknight or entertaining guests at your table?" I started this blog to answer that question. Here I will share with all of you the recipes that I find delicious and comforting. Many of the recipes are my own versions of classic dishes, some are contemporary twists on old ideas, and some are discoveries I made while perusing my grandmother’s vast collection of cookbooks dating back to the early 1900’s. Please enjoy these videos. I have also included links to some of the published articles I have written recently. Please feel free to comment here or email me directly with any questions, comments or general thoughts. My email address and information on my catering, private chef and private cooking classes can be found on my website: www.portlandcomfortfood.com

The BEST Tomato Soup

As the cooler weather begins to fill our evenings, I thought I would share with you all an exceptional recipes for a tomato soup that I love to make and is utterly delicious. I hope you will enjoy serving this recipe to your family and your friends. Soon I will demonstrate this recipe on video for you, but until then:

Tomato Soup

Ingredients
Makes 6 cups
8 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 tablespoons olive oil
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 large yellow onions, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
2 (24 ounce) cans whole plum tomatoes
6 cups chicken stock
sea salt, to taste
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Directions
1. Melt butter and olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add red pepper flakes and stir for about 1 minute. Add onion and garlic; cook, stirring, until onions have softened, about 15 minutes.
2. Add tomatoes, chicken stock, salt, and pepper; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cook until tomatoes, onions, and garlic are soft, 15 to 20 minutes.
3. Working in batches, transfer soup to the jar of a blender and puree until smooth or use and immersion blender. Return to saucepan and place over medium heat. Cook until soup is heated through. If soup seems too thick, stir in some extra stock to thin. Serve immediately.