Tomato-Rice Soup with Pesto

• From: Delicious Living Magazine

Ingredients

• 5 large tomatoes

• 12 cloves garlic

• 8 cups vegetable or chicken stock

• 2 cups diced white onion

• 1 tsp dried oregano

• 1/4 tsp black pepper

• 1 bay leaf

• 1/2 cup sushi rice

• 1 tsp tomato paste

• 1 cup packed, fresh basil leaves

• 5 Tbs mellow barley miso

• 1 tsp tahini

• 1 tsp mirin (Chinese cooking wine)

• Fresh basil leaves for garnish

A paste of miso, garlic and basil adds a true pesto flavor to this unforgettable soup. Unlike traditional pestos, this miso-based version has no added fat, so eat all the soup you like without any guilt.

Directions

• Core tomatoes then cut in half crosswise and squeeze to remove seeds. Chop tomatoes coarsely and set aside.
• Slice 9 cloves of garlic and set the remaining 3 cloves aside. In a 3-quart (1.8L) saucepan, combine the sliced garlic, stock, onion, oregano, pepper, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer and cook, covered, for 20 minutes.
• Add rice, tomatoes and tomato paste to the soup. Cook, stirring occasionally, 20 to 25 minutes or until rice is tender.
• Meanwhile, drop the remaining garlic into the bowl of a food processor while the motor is running. When garlic is minced, add the basil and pulse until finely chopped. Add miso, tahini and mirin. Blend well. Whisk about 1/2 cup (120mL) of the hot soup into the basil/miso mixture until smooth. Stir this back into the soup and reheat, but don’t boil.