My Grandmother's Tomato Bisque

This recipe was entered in the contest for Your Best Tomato Recipe

A&M's Testing Notes: This recipe is half about seeking out the best ingredients possible, and half about an unexpected technique. There are only three ingredients on the list (not counting salt and pepper), which...

This recipe is half about seeking out the best ingredients possible, and half about an unexpected technique. There are only three ingredients on the list (not counting salt and pepper), which means everything needs to be just right: juicy, red tomatoes and good-quality butter and cream. The Weary Epicurean has a way with words, guiding you colorfully through the unusual method of sautéing blanched, seeded tomatoes with butter in a cast iron pan before madly stirring in the cream. The resulting mixture is rich, chunky and rustic -- a homemade cream of tomato soup that along with some thick toast and a green salad would make a perfect meal for a cool, late summer evening. - A&M

The Weary Epicurean's Notes: This is how my grandmother always made tomato soup. It's extremely simple, and relies entirely on extremely red, ripe tomatoes - I only make it if I happen to see tomatoes that look particularly...

This is how my grandmother always made tomato soup. It's extremely simple, and relies entirely on extremely red, ripe tomatoes - I only make it if I happen to see tomatoes that look particularly ripe and fresh for sale, not the other way around. It's also very important to use a heavy cast iron pan that is well seasoned, and to get the butter as hot as you can without burning it.