My boy is two now and has become a toddler cliché. For the last few months he was incredibly agreeable. His favorite word was, “yeah,” delivered in this sweet little voice. Example:
Are you ready for a bath?
Yeah.
89 cents for tofu? What a deal!
Yeah.
Three fish in a tree! How can that be?
Yeah.
Oh for f@#%'s sake, turn already!
Yeah!
That last one was heard from the back seat while we ran errands during rush hour/ cranky time. I was rightfully frustrated, but...oops.
Now it's different. Sweet little "yeah" has been replaced with big, full-bodied, arching-with-self-delight, screamed-from-the-tippy-toes, "NO!" He practices. Apropos of nothing at all, you’ll hear from his bedroom, with varying emphasis and volume, “No. noooooooo. NO! no, no, no. noooOOO!”
Just about everything receives one of those responses. All sure-fire kid hits are now pushed away with exaggerated disgust. No oatmeal. No mac 'n cheese. No sandwiches of any kind. No. No. No.
So you can imagine my shock and delight when this soup was met with an emphatic yes. He happily ate three bowls-full, while sitting in his high chair (another marvelously useful habit that I feared was behind us), and then protested when I finally put his bowl in the sink. Oh, and two insignificant side notes - I like it too, and it's really easy to make.
Tomato Soup
2 T. olive oil
2 smallish onions, diced
2 smallish carrots, diced
3 red potatoes, peeled and diced
1 large clove garlic, minced
28 oz. can unsalted whole tomatoes with basil
1 bay leaf
1 sprig thyme
3 basil leaves
3 T. red miso
6 c. water
salt and pepper
1. In a big pot saute the the onions, carrot, and potatoes in the olive oil until the onions are translucent, about 7 minutes. Add the garlic, stir, and cook for another minute, until fragrant. Add the can of tomatoes. Smash the big tomatoes with the back of the spoon or a potato masher and add the bay leaf, thyme, and basil. Let the pot simmer while you prepare the broth.
2. Bring 6 cups of water to a boil and stir in the miso until dissolved. Add the miso broth to the pot. Stir and let simmer for about 30 minutes stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are falling-apart tender and the soup is reduced a bit.
3. Remove the herbs from the pot and puree. Taste for salt and pepper (the miso is salty, so it may not need any additional salt).
4. To serve - top with your favorite tomato soup garnish - croutons or snips of basil or chives or thyme or a swirl of pesto or cashew cream.
Makes 6 servings.
P.S. Desmond just woke up from his nap and is now sitting on my lap polishing off the tepid bowl of soup that I put together for that picture. I guess he was hungry. The combination of lots of shouting and refusing to eat will do that to a kid. How long does this last?
