Tomato Soup With Sole

One of my childhood horrors was facing a bowl of plain tomato soup. I could never force myself to enjoy the red, boring broth. Some people love simple soups; I crave hearty, comforting soups.

But I’ve had a change of heart.

In this recipe, tomato soup is the base for sweet sauteed fennel and seared Dover sole. It’s tomato soup with substance.

The Dover sole is coated with sesame seeds and wrapped in nori seaweed. The fillets are set on the sauteed fennel, which is surrounded by the tomato soup and thin slices of fresh basil.

The last time I made this soup, I brewed some raspberry iced tea, which complements the tartness of the tomato soup. I ended my meal simply with half a cherimoya, sometimes called a custard apple.

Menu

Tomato Soup With Fennel and Nori Sesame Seed-Seared Dover Sole

Raspberry Iced Tea

Cherimoya

Tomato Soup With Fennel and Nori Sesame Seed-Seared Dover Sole

Active Work and Total Preparation Time: 25 minutes

1 (14 1/2-ounce) can low-sodium chicken broth

1 (10 3/4-ounce) can condensed tomato soup

Salt, pepper

1 (1-pound) fennel bulb, sliced thin

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons butter

1 tablespoon sugar

1/2 pound Dover sole fillets, about 4

1 (8-ounce) package nori

2 tablespoons sesame seeds

2 large basil leaves, sliced very thin

* Bring chicken broth, tomato soup and salt and pepper to taste to boil in saucepan. Reduce heat to low and simmer 10 minutes. Remove from heat and cover to keep hot.

* While broth heats, saute fennel in 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium-high heat until soft, about 3 minutes. Add butter and sugar and season with salt and pepper to taste. Mix well and saute 5 more minutes. Reduce heat to low and cook 5 more minutes, making sure fennel does not brown.

* Wash fillets and pat dry with paper towels. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Place each fillet on sheet of nori, then cut off excess seaweed around fillet. Sprinkle sesame seeds evenly over each fillet.

* Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in skillet over high heat. Sear fillets 1 minute per side. Drain on paper towels.

* Divide fennel between 2 large soup bowls. Place 2 fillets on fennel in each bowl. Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with basil.

2 servings. Each serving: 631 calories; 2,419 mg sodium; 85 mg cholesterol; 42 grams fat; 41 grams carbohydrates; 31 grams protein; 1.15 grams fiber.

Raspberry Ice Tea

Active Work Time: 5 minutes * Total Preparation Time: 20 minutes

4 cups water

2 raspberry tea bags

1 tablespoon sugar, optional

1 sprig mint

* Bring water, tea bags, sugar if using and mint to boil in small pot. Reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool 10 minutes. Serve in tall glasses over ice.

4 servings. Each serving: 1 calorie; 1 mg sodium; 0 cholesterol; 0 fat; 3 grams carbohydrates; 0 protein; 0 fiber.

INGREDIENTS

STAPLES

Butter

1 (14 1/2-ounce) can chicken broth

Olive oil

Pepper

Salt

Sesame seeds

1 (10 3/4-ounce can) condensed tomato soup

Sugar

Raspberry tea bags or any fruit herbal tea

SHOPPING LIST

1 bunch basil

1/2 pound Dover sole fillets

1 (1-pound) fennel bulb

1 sprig mint

1 (8-ounce) package nori

GAME PLAN

30 minutes before: Wash Dover sole fillets and fennel. Slice fennel and coat Dover sole with seaweed and sesame seeds.

25 minutes before: Brew iced tea.

20 minutes before: Begin cooking chicken broth and tomato soup. Saute fennel.

7 minutes before: Sear fillets.

3 minutes before: Place fennel and fillets in bowls and ladle soup around fillets. Garnish with basil. Pour tea over ice.