Vegan Cream of Tomato Soup

Recipe Courtesy of Chef Daniel Batista, AAS

Ingredients

• 8 pounds eggplant
• 12 ounces extra virgin olive oil
• 4 large Spanish onions
• 8 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons cayenne powder
• 1 gallon vegetable broth
• 4 (14.5 oz.) cans diced tomatoes
• 1 cup raisins
• 2 ounces lemon juice
• 4 ounces minced cilantro
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Dice onions.
• Mince garlic and cilantro.
• Add 6 ounces olive oil to a pot and sauté onions, garlic, cumin and cayenne until brown.
• Add diced tomatoes, vegetable broth and cilantro and let simmer.
• Dice eggplant then sprinkle with salt, pepper, and remaining olive oil. Lay on sheet trays, being sure not to overcrowd.
• Bake eggplant until brown, 10-15 minutes.
• Add raisins to the pot to reconstitute.
• Add the baked eggplant and let the flavors meld for 5 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste.
• Blend the soup until a creamy, uniform consistency is achieved.
• Check salt level and serve.