Tomato Soup with Meat and Mushrooms

Recipe:

Ingredient Notes:

• Ground meat. You can use ground beef, pork, or a mixture of meats in this recipe. For a lighter version of the soup, use ground chicken or turkey.
• Stock. The ingredient list says “stock or water.” Stock gives the soup a much richer flavor, so substitute water as a last resort. In addition to chicken stock, white veal or vegetable stock will work.
• Tomatoes. I suggest using an all-season option with canned tomatoes in the recipe – any variety will do here – whole, diced, or crushed. In the summer season, you can use fresh, ripe tomatoes in the soup, adding a small amount of tomato paste for more concentrated flavor.
• Bacon. Here it is used to add a light smoky flavor. You can substitute ham in a similar amount.
• Mushrooms. The easiest and cheapest option is champignons. Oyster mushrooms also work well.
• Cheese. This recipe calls for 2 types of cheese – Parmesan and Mozzarella. You can substitute any similar hard cheese for the Parmesan. The mozzarella used here is the kind used for pizza or so called low-moisture mozzarella. Instead of mozzarella, you can use cheddar, gouda, or Emmental – they will give a different flavor but your soup will still be delicious.

Let’s start cooking.

Finely chop the onion, garlic, celery and bacon. Slice the mushrooms, coarsely grate the mozzarella, and finely grate the Parmesan.

Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a pot over medium heat. Add the onion, celery and bacon and cook, stirring, for 3-4 minutes.

Add the garlic and the Provencal herb mix and cook, stirring, for another half minute. Add the ground meat and cook, breaking up any lumps with a spatula, until it loses its pink color.

Add the crushed tomatoes with their juice and the broth or water.

Bring to a boil and season to taste with salt, sugar, and ground black pepper. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes. 10 minutes before the end, add the mushrooms.

Add grated Parmesan cheese 5 minutes before the end. Add finely chopped basil to the soup, stir, and remove from heat.

Before serving, add grated mozzarella cheese to each bowl.

Enjoy!