TOMATO SOUP WITH CANDIED BACON

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Tomato Soup with Candied Bacon image

The whole point of tomato soup is to make one as an adult that tastes as good as when you were a kid. This one-a velouté with smoky paprika and a maple-sugar-dusted strip of bacon-is that soup. Now all you need is a grilled-cheese sandwich...

Provided by Naomi Pomeroy

Categories     main-dish

Time 1h

Yield 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 17

8 ounces thick-sliced bacon, about 8 slices
1/4 cup maple sugar, or light brown sugar
5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
2 medium yellow onions, diced
3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon Kosher salt, divided
3 tablespoons tomato paste
2 1/2 cups canned chopped tomatoes
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon fish sauce
1 teaspoon sugar, plus more to taste
2 1/2 cups water
Zest of ½ lemon
1 2/3 cups whole milk, divided
1/2 cup heavy cream, divided
6 dashes Tabasco sauce, divided
1/4 teaspoon Freshly ground black pepper

Steps:

  • Bacon, part 1: Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Place a wire rack over a rimmed baking sheet and arrange bacon slices on the rack in an even layer. Sprinkle ¼ teaspoon of maple sugar on each slice, lightly pressing to help it adhere. Flip bacon and repeat so both sides are coated. Bake until almost crisp, 8 minutes, checking after 5 to ensure it's not burning.
  • Soup: In a pot over medium-high heat, add 4 tablespoons olive oil. When the oil is rippling, add the onions. Stir and cook until they're soft and translucent, 2-3 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low, add garlic and half the salt, and cook 2-3 more minutes. Add remaining olive oil and the tomato paste. Increase heat to medium-high and cook, stirring, 2-3 minutes. This is called "frying out": the tomato paste will caramelize and stick to the pan, making a great soup base. Add chopped tomatoes, smoked paprika, fish sauce, remaining salt, and sugar. Stir, scraping to deglaze the pot. Add water, stir again, cover, and simmer, 20 minutes.
  • Bacon, part 2: Finish crisping the bacon by flipping it again and sprinkling the remaining sugar on top. Return to oven to render out the remaining fat, 4 minutes. Bacon will look glassy when it's done. Remove to cool. (Note: Bacon will not be crisp until it has completely cooled.)
  • Soup, part 2: Stir lemon zest into soup. Blend in two batches: for the first, ladle half the soup into a blender, along with ⅔ cup milk and ¼ cup cream. Fill blender no more than halfway, remove lid plug, and cover with a kitchen towel to catch spatters. Blend on low to start, then switch to high until smooth and puréed. Taste and adjust for seasoning. Add a pinch of sugar, 4 dashes Tabasco, pepper, and ¼ cup milk. Cover and blend on high to purée. Ladle the soup into a clean pot to rewarm and set aside. Repeat for the second batch with remaining soup and Tabasco, pinch of sugar, ¾ cup milk, and ¼ cup cream. Then add second batch to the pot.
  • Assembly: Reheat soup over low heat, 2 minutes. Ladle into bowls, and garnish with candied bacon. Serve immediately.

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