With the weather changing, along with the offerings at the market, it's time to bust out the big pots and shift into soup season. There is a great quote about soup by American Author Kate DiCamillo that embodies the spirit of the labor that goes into a big cozy bowl of soup: “There ain't no point in making soup unless others eat it. Soup needs another mouth to taste it, another heart to be warmed by it.” Motivated by the promise of tasty soups and stews and the opportunity to share our experience with our farmers' market farm-ily, we pooled our community for recipes and got together to bond over our bowls. I present to you Soup-A-Palooza 2025. A collection of staff soup recipes and the stories behind them.
This recipe is courtesy of Johanna, one of our talented Marketing Specialists. Here's what she shared along with the recipe:
A simple staple for soup season, this recipe has been a family favorite for years. Made almost entirely out of roasted farmers’ market tomatoes, it proves that fresh produce doesn’t need anything extra to shine. Just pure, comforting flavor without any tricks or frills."
- 6 large tomatoes (5 pounds, 3/4 to 1 pound each total), cored
- 4 cloves garlic, unpeeled
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1/4 cup water, optional
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
- 3 tablespoons snipped or finely chopped fresh chives
- 1 cup heavy cream, optional
Preheat oven to 500°F and position rack in the center. Arrange tomatoes and garlic in a shallow roasting pan (about 12 x 8 x 1-1/2 inch). Add olive oil, rubbing it over the tomatoes, garlic, and the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle lightly with salt. Roast for 15 minutes, then turn the tomatoes over. If the pan looks dry or garlic is browning too quickly, add water. Roast for another 10 minutes.
Remove the pan from the oven. Place a food mill fitted with a fine mesh over a large bowl and pour in the roasted tomatoes, garlic, and all the juices. Strain garlic, tomatoes, and juice through the mill. Be sure to strain through all the juices at the end. Add pepper to taste.
Serve warm, or for the chilled summer version: Let soup cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until chilled. Stir in mint, chives, and cream (if using). Mix well and serve cold.