Quick Tomato Soup with Rice and Quick Simple Homemade Croutons

[A quick apology to all my loyal readers for the rather long break; I hope you will continue to follow my food blog and look forward to your comments and e-mails.]

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This is a truly fanstastic and simple recipe. This soup works as a quick light afternoon lunch and as a starter for a larger meal. It can also be served cold.
This soup is easy and simple to make, also very inexpensive.

This recipe is for 4 generous servings – just double or triple as needed.

[Preparation time: less than 10 minutes + cooking time 20 minutes]

Servings: 4 portions

Ingredients:                                                 

For the Soup:

·      4 cups of ready-made bottled tomato juice [any brand]
·    4-5 whole cloves of garlic smashed
·   1/3 cup of uncooked rice**
·   Salt and coarsely ground pepper to taste
·   Pinch of sugar
·   6-8 basil leaves thinly sliced (Chiffonade - see below)
 
Optional: Grated Pecorino Cheese, Olive Oil
 

Tomato juice; fresh basil; garlic cloves, rice

Preparation:
·    Add the tomato juice into a medium size pot with a cover
·    Add Whole smashed garlic
·    Add the Rice
·    Season with salt, pepper and don't forget a pinch of sugar
·    Cook about 10-15 minutes on medium flame stirring occassionally
  until the rice softens

Tomato juice; with garlic cloves, rice - in a pot

 **be careful not to use too much rice - or you will get tomato mush!


. . . While your soup is cooking
 Quick Simple Homemade Croutons
[make these croutons should be made while the soup is cooking]

[Preparation time: 5 minutes + cooking time 10 minutes]
Servings: 4 portions

Ingredients:

· 4 slices of bread – cubed
· 1/3 cup olive oil
· 4 cloves finely chopped garlic

Cubed bread; olive oil, chopped garlic 

Preparation:

· Add olive oil to a medium sized frying pan.
· Add the chopped garlic  

Olive oil and chopped garlic

 
· Add the bread cubes and begin to lightly fry – turning constantly.
·   Stir and mix a bit to coat the bread with the garlic.
 

Cubed bread added to garlic and olive oil

· The croutons are ready when they begin to brown all over.

Note: be careful not to burn the garlic.

To Serve:

·  Scoop a couple of generous ladles of tomato rice soup into a bowl.

·  Add some croutons.
·  Sprinkle with Chiffonade of Basil [see below].


Tomato Rice Soup with Croutons and Chiffonade of Basil

· Optional: sprinkle some grate pecorino cheese* and a splash of olive oil


Tomato Rice Soup with Croutons and Chiffonade of Basil
Grated Pecorino Cheese and a splash of olive oil





 

*We recommend Grated Pecorino Cheese, or Reggio Parmesan.



To Chiffonade of Basil - roll leaves and then thinly slice

Looking forward to hearing from you all soon. Capricorn!