Cream of sun-dried tomato soup

Main Ingredient: Tomatoes
Preparation: Sun-dried
Course: Soups and Stews
Dietary: Vegetarian
Yield:

Cream of sun-dried tomato soup ingredients

1 qt Milk, whole, low-fat or skim
1 small Onion, peeled and stuck with
2 cloves
6 Whole peppercorns (or more)
1 pn Salt
Bouquet garni
:Tie in cheesecloth:
6 Fresh parsley stems
1⁄2 t Dried leaf thyme
1⁄2 Bay leaf
SOUP, CON'T
4 T Rice flour
-(or barley or oat flour)
4 T Cold milk (about)
1 pk Sun-dried tomatoes (3 oz)
2 c water
Optional
6 T Heavy Cream
Chopped Herbs for garnish*
-(basil, chervil or parsley)

Cooking Cream of sun-dried tomato soup

1. This creamy, vibrant red soup has but 100 calories per serving if you use low-fat milk and no cream.
2. Place the milk, onion, peppercorns, salt and bouquet garni in a saucepan and bring slowly to a boil.
3. Form a smooth paste of the rice flour and the cold milk.
4. Put into the just-boiling milk and stir briskly until there are no lumps.
5. Simmeri over very low heat for 20 minutes.
6. Meanwhile, boil the sun-dried tomatoes in the 2 cups of water; do not drain.
7. Straini the milk mixture, add the tomatoes and their liquid, and simmer another 5 minutes.
8. In a blender, in batches, liquefy the soup.
9. Return to the stove and bring just to a boil.
10. Add the optional cream, if desired, and serve in hot bowls garnished with a minced green herb.