Country Tomato Soup

This plain and good soup is NOT diluted for serving. Makes about 4 1/2 quarts of soup.

Done in a pressure canner only via hot pack (due to onions and peppers which are low acid)  in pints and quarts jars as a way to deal with all those Roma tomatoes.

Wash 1 peck ( 8 quarts) of ripe red tomatoes, remove blossom and stem ends and cores: cut in pieces. In a large kettle, cook and stir the tomatoes unil soft – about 15 minutes. Push the pulp and juice through a food mill or a wire strainer to remove skins and seeds. Return the puree to the kettle but do not reheat yet.

Cook together until soft (in enough water just to cover) 3 large onions and 2 green peppers, finely chopped. Seive or put thru food mill and add tyo the pureed tomatoes in the kettle. Mic together 3/4 cup sugar, and 8 tablespoons cornstarch: blend in 3 tablespoons vinegar and just enough water to make a smooth paste. (Optional – add 2 tablespoons salt to the paste). Pour slowly into the sieved tomatoes, stirring all the while. Heat to boiling and stir until the liquid clears. Pack HOT.

HOT PACK ONLY in JARS. Pour boiling hot soup into clean, hot jars, leaving 3/4 inch of headroom for pints and 1 and 1/4 inch for Quarts. Adjust lids. Pressure-Process at 10 pound pressure pints for 20 minutes, quarts 30 minutes. Remove jars; complete seals if necessary.

Recipe from The New Putting Food By book by Ruth Hertzburg, Beatrice Vaughan and Janet Greene – A Janet Green Book. Page 175 in the Third Edition of the book from The Stephen Greene Press Brattleboro Vermont.

Made double batches 2020 in quarts and pints.  Added chopped fresh basil from garden for a little extra flavor.
This soup compares to the canned Progresso Soup Tomato and Basil soup that is a favorite of store bought soup. No more need to buy canned soup if this is on the shelve from our own garden.