This Tomato Soup Chowder recipe is from Joyce Gerein. Lorna and Carol made this chowder in the South Arm Cooking Club for seniors. Tomatoes is rich in lycopene, an antioxidant and the storage and temperature affects the amount of lycopene in the fruit. Below is an extract of a hand out from Stella which explains the best way to harvest lycopene.

Lycopene is an antioxidant that gives tomatoes, watermelon, and red fleshed grapefruits their rich red color. Temperature is an important factor in the development and availability of lycopene in the above said fruits. According to Penelope Perkins-Veazie, Ph.D, a plant physiologist who conducted the watermelon study; the normal biological processes in watermelon that produce lycopene are strong at room temperature, while cooler temperatures slow them down. Perkins-Veazie recommends letting a whole melon sit on the counter for up to five days to fully ripen and develop lycopene. Then place it in the fridge to chill before enjoying (unless the melon has been cut, in which case it should be refrigerated immediately). It will taste sweeter and crisper if it’s cold and if stored for two days or less you will not lose any of the lycopene gained wihole the melon sat out.

In the case of tomato, the benefits are actually better when they’re processed. Lycopene in tomato is located inside cells. when the cell walls are broken during processing, lycopene is released and can be absorbed. According to Steven J. Schwartz, Ph.D;, professor of food science at Ohio State University in Columbus; heat alters lycopene’s molecular structure, making it two to three times easier for our bodies to absorb than raw.

This Tomato Soup Chowder is a hearty soup and it’s very filing too, with the potatoes in it. You can have this for brunch with some biscuits for dipping.

Ingredients

For Soup:

• 2 cups potatoes, cubed
• 3/4 cup onions, diced
• 1 cup celery, chopped
• 1 28-oz, can diced tomatoes
• 1/4 teaspoon oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 2 1/2 cups boiling water

For Sauce:

• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 2 cups milk
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese
• 1 tablespoon dry parsley

Instructions

Add onions, tomatoes and celery into the boiling water.

Add potatoes and seasonings. Simmer all the soup ingredients until veggies are soft but not mushy, about 45 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

While the soup simmers, make the sauce. Start with microwaving the butter until melted in a 4-cup Pyrex measuring cup.

Gradually stir in the flour, mustard, salt and pepper to form a paste.

Add milk a little at a time and stir until the mixture is smooth, then add the cheese, Worcestershire sauce, and parsley.

Cook in the microwave for 10 minutes or so, stirring every 2-3 minutes until thick. To add cheese sauce to the soup, start by gradually mixing about a cup of the soup into the cheese sauce to prevent it from curdling. Then, pour the cheese mixture into the rest of the soup and stir until thoroughly mixed. This is a unique way of making chowder.