Spicy Tomato and Blue Cheese Soup

This recipe is apparently so well known that it has Google predictive text. And yet I, the person who regularly reads every food section on Wednesdays and has an entire library of cookbooks, I had never heard of it. Which is why you shouldn't feel bad if you haven't heard of it either. Let's remedy that together, shall we?

I spied this recipe over at Leite's Culinaria, and luck be had it, I had the three primary ingredients- canned tomatoes, blue cheese, and sriracha. I was snowed in at the time, and since we have already discovered that snowstorms are good for your cooking mojo- not only did I discover my new favorite salad, but perhaps also my new favorite soup.

Now, I do have a bone to pick with this recipe, which bills itself as "quick and easy," yet has 10 ingredients, some of which I deemed unnecessary. I nixed the chicken stock for water, since it's subtlety was completely hidden by the blue cheese and hot sauce elements, and left out the heavy cream since the cheese adds creaminess on its own.

Bust basically what you do is stew a can of tomatoes with some garlic and oregano, just until everything is nice and combined. Then add in chunks of blue cheese and a splash of spicy hot red pepper paste (sriracha). You puree the whole mix and that's it, you've got soup.

Now would be a good time to point out that I actually don't love blue cheese- sure it's great when you're in the mood for it, perhaps over a good wedge salad or matched with pears on a cheese plate, but it can also be overwhelming if used in excess. But paired with hot sauce and tamed with the sweetness of tomatoes, it's pretty darn great.

Spicy Tomato and Blue Cheese Soup
Adapted from Michael Symon.

a splash of olive oil
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 28-ounce can tomatoes, such as San Marzano brand
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano, or fresh of available
pinch salt
1 1/2 cups water or chicken stock
1/2 cup blue cheese
2 tablespoons sriracha sauce
a splash of heavy cream, if desired

1. Heat the olive oil in a saucepan and saute the garlic cloves until soft. Add the tomatoes, water, oregano, and salt and bring to a boil. Simmer for 15-20 minutes.
2. Add the cheese, sriracha, and cream if desired, and simmer for 5-10 more minutes, until combined. Puree in a blender, taste for seasoning. Reheat if necessary and serve.