# Fannie Farmer's Tomato Soup

A 19th-century pantry classic, sharpened up: whole spices simmered into canned tomatoes, then a quick butter-flour roux pulls it all into a silky, rust-red soup.

_Soup · American_

Prep: 10 min · Cook: 30 min · Total: 40 min · Yields: 4 servings

## Ingredients

- 28 oz canned whole peeled tomatoes (one standard 28 oz can, with juices)
- 2 cups water
- 1 slice yellow onion (about ¼ inch thick)
- 1 piece bay leaf
- 10 piece whole black peppercorns
- 4 piece whole cloves
- 2 tsp granulated sugar
- 1 tsp fine salt (plus more to taste)
- ⅛ tsp baking soda (prevents curdling, keeps color bright)
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 3 tbsp all-purpose flour

## Instructions

1. Combine the 28 oz canned whole peeled tomatoes (crushing them by hand as you add them), 2 cups water, 1 slice yellow onion, 1 bay leaf, 10 whole black peppercorns, 4 whole cloves, and 2 tsp granulated sugar in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
2. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes have fully broken down and the broth is deeply fragrant.
3. Set a fine-mesh strainer over a large bowl or 4-cup measuring jug. Pour the tomato mixture through, pressing the solids firmly with the back of a spoon to extract all the liquid. Discard the solids.
4. Stir the 1 tsp fine salt and 0.125 tsp baking soda into the strained tomato broth. It will foam briefly — that's the soda neutralizing acidity. Set aside.
5. Wipe out the saucepan and return it to medium heat. Melt the 2 tbsp unsalted butter until foaming subsides.
6. Whisk in the 3 tbsp all-purpose flour and cook, whisking constantly, for 1–2 minutes until the roux smells faintly nutty and turns pale gold.
7. Slowly pour the strained tomato broth into the roux in a thin, steady stream, whisking vigorously the entire time to prevent lumps.
8. Raise heat to medium-high and bring the soup to a gentle boil, whisking frequently, until thickened to a consistency that lightly coats a spoon, about 3–5 minutes.
9. Taste and adjust salt. Ladle into warm bowls and serve immediately.

## Tip

> Add the tomato broth to the roux slowly and in a thin stream — dumping it in all at once drops the temperature too fast and the roux seizes into lumps before it can emulsify.

Tags: comfort-food, vegetarian, weeknight, one-pan, 30-minute

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Source: https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/69618