Tomato Orange Soup

While the rest of the country gets snow and tornadoes and mysterious earthquakes (not that the latter two are remotely enticing), Oregon gets rain. Full weeks of pouring rain that wails from the sky and mutes our days to a perpetual dusk. Is it any wonder that Oregonians love coffee and microbrews, or that our restaurant journalists write an article a week on where to find the best grilled cheese and tomato soup?

When the sky is slate and the air is that damp wet that eats into your bones, tomato soup fills your center with a delicious, radiating warmth. Other soups are good, too (I'm thinking in particular butternut squash soup and chili), but at least twice a month T marches downstairs and announces, "tomato soup!" with the boyish, military precision of a toy soldier. And I look outside at the cold and the wet, and get cooking.

While I make several different tomato soups, the soup I'm sharing today is our favorite, and can be assembled in no time; plus, it only improves with a day or two in the fridge. The butter and cream amounts are flexible, as is the orange juice. I've made it with the full two cups and been thrilled by the flavor, and also with 3/4 C and enjoyed the tiny orange hint in my soup spoon. And though I rarely eat this with grilled cheese, it begs at least for baguette and a side salad.

Tomato Orange Soup, adapted from Elephant's Delicatessen

2 28-ounce cans crushed tomatoes (I like the Whole Foods 365 organic brand)
1 stick butter
a couple glugs of olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp thyme
up to 2 C orange juice (I prefer 1 C)
1/4-1 C cream (I probably end up adding 1/3 C cream)

Heat butter and olive oil in a deep soup pot over medium heat until sizzling but not smoking.
Add onion and saute until translucent (10 minutes).
Add the tomatoes, baking soda and thyme. Stir, bring to a boil, and then reduce heat to low medium.
Let tomatoes simmer for 20 minutes or so.
Remove pot from heat and puree soup. This is easiest with an immersion blender (a cheap and absolutely wonderful kitchen device), but can be done carefully in batches in the blender.
Set pureed soup back on low heat and add the orange juice and cream. Heat through, tasting for seasoning. (I never find that I need salt or pepper, but I use salted butter and tomatoes.)
Eat, preferably by a window, so you can stick your tomatoey tongue out at the rain and remind yourself that sometimes the winter is worth it.