Tomato Basil Soup with Feta

It started with an email from Kurt. He has been working in Scottsdale, AZ during the budget shortfall and is tired of being away from his family.

"I really want to come home, but they have me chained to the lab down here. Could you send a file baked in a cake in your next email? I'll get you the soup recipe....really, you can believe me...please!"

Ah, yes. The soup recipe. The one he waved under my nose clear back in March. So far I haven't been given a copy, even though he has copiously promised to send it. Although I want to help him break free, I must respond in a practical manner:

"I'd like to help you. Really I would. Unfortunately, I have been waiting for this recipe for so long that I can no longer trust that I will ever receive it. The most I can hope for is a dinner invitation to your neighbor's house. Hmm....what are the chances of that??

I had better play it safe and NOT send that cake I just baked."

Ten minutes later I was presented with the recipe in my inbox. So there ya have it. If you threaten to stop by for dinner, any recipe you have been coveting will suddenly find it's way to your door.

Tomato-Basil Soup with Feta Cheese

2 28-ounce cans of crushed tomatoes (Muir Glen Fire Roasted Tomatoes are awesome!)

1 15 ounce can of diced tomatoes

1 15 ounce can of plain tomato sauce

1 medium to large yellow onion

3 cloves of garlic (more if you like garlic)

1 tsp. salt

2-3 cups of low-sodium chicken broth (or vegetable broth)

¼ cup of olive oil (extra virgin if you want a richer taste)

1 package of feta cheese (the best you can afford, preferably French or Greek feta)

¼ cup of minced fresh basil or 1/8 cup of dried basil

Pepper to taste

Chop onion and sauté in olive oil until translucent (about 8 minutes). Add chopped garlic and sauté an additional 2 minutes. Add the three cans of crushed and diced tomatoes as well as the chicken broth and salt. Reduce for 20 minutes over a high flame. (If you have a screen, use it as this soup splatters terribly!)

Use an immersion blender or standing blender to purée the onion and tomato mixture after reduction. Place over medium-low heat and add the crumbled feta cheese, basil, can of tomato sauce and pepper. Taste for salt. Heat through and serve.

This soup is excellent with a nice amount of feta so use it liberally if you like feta. The better the feta, the less salty it tastes so make sure the soup has adequate flavor.

Don't forget about the feta! It is much better with it in there.

After I got the recipe, I sent him this photo:

He wrote back that he wanted a file in a cake.....NOT a cake in a file. Oh, well. The pirate sure is cute.