Smoky Tomato And Couscous Soup Food

TOMATO AND COUSCOUS SOUP

Steps:

• Heat oil in a large saucepan. Add onion and cook over moderate heat until onion is softened (about 10 minutes).
• Add the cumin and garlic, and sauté for 1 minute.
• Add tomatoes, tomato paste and stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for about 15 minutes.
• Add couscous and simmer for a further 5-10 minutes, or until couscous is tender.
• Season with salt and pepper and serve garnished with fresh coriander (cilantro).

ONE-POT SMOKY FISH WITH TOMATO, OLIVES AND COUSCOUS

Steps:

• In a large (12-inch) skillet (use one with a tight-fitting lid), heat the olive oil over medium. If using fresh red bell pepper, add it with the onion, and cook, tossing occasionally, until tender and lightly browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Meanwhile, pat the fish fillets dry with a paper towel and season with salt and pepper.
• If using roasted red peppers, add them with the garlic, anchovies, paprika and cayenne, and cook for 1 more minute, until the garlic is fragrant. Add the wine and stir to scrape up any brown bits from the pan. When the wine has almost entirely evaporated, add the chicken stock, tomatoes, olives, parsley, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
• Add the couscous, stir, then add the fish fillets, wiggling them lightly to submerge them in the sauce. Turn the heat to low, cover and simmer for 6 to 8 minutes, until fish is opaque and flakes easily with a fork. Carefully transfer the fish to a plate. Simmer the couscous, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until it's tender and the liquid in the pan has reduced slightly, about 5 minutes.
• Off the heat, stir in the vinegar and gently return the fish to the skillet to warm, being careful to keep it intact. Serve hot in shallow bowls garnished with additional parsley and a drizzle of olive oil.

COUSCOUS WITH TOMATOES

Steps:

• Cut away cores of tomatoes. Cut tomatoes into 1/4-inch cubes. There should be about 3/4 cup.
• Heat 1 tablespoon butter in a saucepan and add onion. Cook, stirring, until wilted. Add saffron and stir. Add tomatoes and cook about 2 minutes, stirring. Add salt, pepper and water and bring to boil.
• Add couscous, stir and cover closely. Remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes. Stir in coriander and remaining 1 tablespoon butter and serve.

SMOKY SPANISH TOMATO SOUP

Steps:

• Cut a shallow X in bottom of each tomato. Blanch in batches in a pot of boiling water 15 to 30 seconds, then transfer to an ice bath. Peel and seed tomatoes, then coarsely chop.
• Cook onion and bell peppers in oil with 1/2 teaspoon salt in a wide 5-quart heavy pot over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 15 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, pimentón, and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until tomatoes are tender and falling apart, about 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, crush garlic to a paste with cumin using a mortar and pestle (or crush cumin with side of a heavy knife, mince and mash garlic, and stir together).
• Stir garlic-cumin paste and bread crumbs into tomato mixture. Purée soup in batches in a blender until smooth (use caution when blending hot liquids) and return to cleaned pot. Thin to desired consistency with water and season with salt and pepper.
• Serve soup topped with figs or grapes, depending on the season.

SMOKY TOMATO SOUP WITH GRUYERE TOASTS

Steps:

• In a soup pot, melt the butter in the oil. Add the onion and garlic and cook over medium-high heat until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the paprika and cook until it gets fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes, water, thyme and bay leaf, then season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil. Cover and simmer until the tomatoes start breaking down, about 15 minutes. Discard the thyme sprig and bay leaf.
• Preheat the broiler. In a blender, puree the soup in batches. Strain the soup back into the pot - pressing on the solids (use a strainer with larger holes. This just separates out the bits of tomato skin/seeds that didn't blend.) Stir in the cream and season with salt and pepper again, to taste.
• Meanwhile, put the baguette slices on a baking sheet and broil 6 inches away from the heat until lightly toasted on both sides, about 2 minutes total. top the toasts with the Gruyere and broil for about 30 seconds more, until the cheese gets bubbly.
• ladle the soup into bowls and serve with the Gruyere toasts. Enjoy!