Tomato Rice Soup

Having blazed through our original bottle of Smoked Paprika, Dan and I were eager to grab another and keep experimenting. Thanks for all the great foodie suggestions in my last post on our new favorite spice. This time I wanted to try it in some homemade tomato soup and it lent an earthy, rustic taste that was just fabulous. A bit of leftover rice from last night's dinner and presto, Tomato Rice Soup.

The tomato processing marches on the Crispy Kitchen as our plants, though many have blight, keep cranking out fruit, and we haven't yet had a frost. One batch of chunked up tomatoes cooked overnight in the crock pot (4 qts.) made just the right amount of tomato puree, when the tomato water was drained off for later vegetable soup stock.

Tomato Rice Soup

8 cups cooked tomatoes, (skins and seed removed through a food mill or equivalent amount of canned crushed tomatoes)
5-6 cloves garlic, peeled and put through garlic press or minced fine
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 heaping Tbsp. smoked paprika
2 Tbsp. chopped Italian parsley
2 cups cooked rice
Salt to taste

Heat olive oil in soup pot over low heat. Add garlic and cook 1 minute, stirring constantly to avoid burning and making the garlic bitter. Add paprika and cook 1 minute more. Toss in tomatoes and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer 20 minutes, uncovered. Add rice and cook until heated through. Season with salt to taste.

Garnish with a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil, grated cheese, parsley and a nice round of fresh ground pepper. Divine!