Turned Up Tomato Soup

Chipotle Tomato Soup and 2008 25 Lagunas Malbec: 5/5

2008 25 Lagunas Malbec: 90/100

Spoiled this Christmas, my good friend Rocio got to spend the holidays in Mexico, but now that she is back to sub zero Chicago, I thought soup was in order when she invited me over last night. Now some of you may read this, go to the cupboard, and grab a can of Campbell’s, but hear me out.

Growing up I was probably no different from you, when my family was looking for a heartwarming meal on a cold afternoon, a can of Campbell’s chicken noodle or tomato soup fit the bill. When my mom did make soup from scratch it was usually potato, split pea, or chili, but never tomato. So until yesterday, I thought tomato soup must have been a challenge to make.

So with the idea in mind, I hit the cook books, found the soup section in Mark Bittman’s How to Cook Everything, and thumbed through to tomato soup. (This recipe is very similar: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/tomato-soup/detail.aspx) There, to my surprise, was a recipe involving two steps. Two steps? But two steps isn’t hard, there are more steps in frying an egg. The recipe only required 30 minutes, and Bittman even suggested using canned tomatoes unless tomatoes were in season, so the only chopping required was for carrots and onions.

Now since Rocio had some left over authentic tacos she was planning on preparing, I wanted to add a little something to the soup to compliment the authentic mexican flavors. The answer? Chipotle. No, not the McDonald’s owned burrito chain, the pepper. For those of you unfamiliar with chipotle, it’s a smoked jalapeno that provides an excellent slow growing, smoky heat.

The reason I want you to contemplate Campbell’s the next time you go for something quick, is the fact that you could have fresh tomato soup in practically the same time, with a fraction of the salt and twice the flavor. After the onions, carrots, and tomatoes finished sauteing in a skillet I transfered everything to the crock pot for portability, added the vegetable stock, and pureed with my hand held blender. Now you can use a regular blender if you don’t have a hand held, or you can leave it chunky, but if we are talking traditional, pureed is the way to go. That’s it, really, and if you make a large enough batch you can put some in the freezer for the next cold week.

To add a bit of texture, I whipped up some croutons out of the leftover garlic bread from Michael’s spaghetti last week, yet another simple thing to do. Heat the oven to 450, cut the bread into cubes, lay them on a cookie sheet, and bake until golden brown, rotating once while cooking.

Thinking that the Crock pot would be a perfect way to transport the soup to Rocio’s, I packed myself up, and set out for the train. About 4 block from my house the crock pot, full of sloshing soup, started getting heavy. I could have taken a cab, but didn’t grab cash, so I clenched my biceps and trudged on. When I made it to the train, about 8 block later, my arms were screaming, but the soup was secure.

To stick with my south of the border theme, I decided to pair my spicy tomato soup with a $10 bottle of 2008 25 Lagunas Malbec from San Juan, Argentina. Malbec, Argentina’s signature wine, is known for it’s plum and berry characteristics, medium body, and earthy tannins. Having an alcohol content of 13.5% the nice medium body of the 25 Lagunas would not over power the soup, while the ripe fruit flavors would bring a complexity to the tomato and stand up to the chipotle.

Making my way to Rocio’s apartment, I felt my arms turn to jello and my fingers start to shake. With her apartment in sight, I took one last deep breath and completed my journey without dropping a teaspoon. Inside her studio apartment, the pale gray walls buzzed with friendship. Zack, having visited Argentina this past year, was excited after discovering the Malbec.

Needing a moment to breath, the Malbec sent a very alcoholic blackberry scent into my nostrils, only to be replaced by a warm inviting nose of ripe plum and berries. As Shelbey assembled bowls of soup in the kitchen, I topped each with croutons, and passed them along to the gang of hungry masses scrounging for places to sit in the living/bedroom. As we settled on the bed, futon, floor and chairs, I gave my soup a stir, and my wine a swirl and I was ready to dig in.

With a bright acidity and a much needed crunch from the croutons, my throat was filled with a warm stream of tomato-y goodness. Slowly growing spicier by the bite, the chipotle accented the authenticity of the tacos, like a grilled cheese does with classic tomato soup.

With some pretty noticeable legs, the wine lay heavy on my palate, coating it in rich fruit flavors with an earthy undertone. Lingering in my mouth, the tannins left me with the remnants of earthy tannins—truly a wine you could loose your nose in.

Combating the smokey heat, the Malbec was able to stand up to the chipotle without overpowering the flavor of the soup. While cutting through the acidity, the wine’s presence was made known, but let the rich tomato and herb flavors of the soup shine through. Where the soup may have grown monotonous after a bowl, the wine brought out the depth and complexity of the ingredients.

As we sat, occupying every where except the bathroom, everyone talked and laughed, sharing each others company in the tight living quarters. Even without a dining table, good food is able to unify old friends and mere acquaintances. With the lingering flavors of chipotle and dark fruit, I smiled, reflecting on another perfect pair.