The easiest and most delicious soup in the f-ing world.

Let me say first that "easy" does not necessarily register high on my list of important things about cooking. Truth be told, i'm happy to spend hours, even days in the kitchen for worthier traits like "delicious," "healthy," and "able to be packed into lunches." Those matter to me. A lot. But easy? I don't really care if it's easy.

That being said, i nearly passed out at how insanely easy this (also) delicious, healthy, and packable soup is.

But first, credit where credit is due - this recipe comes to you from the wonderful and personable head chef at Caffe Mona, Jen. Caffe Mona (formely J'eet) is a lovely little creperie a few blocks from my house where many a graduate paper has been born as i agonize for hours over lattes and the intricacies of being. When we're both bored, Jen sometimes comes out to chat cooking and bring me treats from the kitchen. As i sat slurping on a recent Lacan reading trip, she asked me how i liked the new menu item i had ordered: tomato chevre bisque.

"Amazing," I exclaimed "it's SO good!" (and i meant it).
"Psh," she replied, "it's SO easy - canned tomatoes, chevre, salt and pepper and garlic. Seriously."

Well, i thought, we'll just see about that won't we?

So on my next trip to the store, after a baffling few minutes spent staring at rows of canned tomatoes (i've never really figured out all the fine details), i opted for 4 large cans of crushed tomatoes. Turns out this was just the right decision - they retained the crunchy seeds and texture i had loved in my Caffe Mona bowful AND i didn't even end up needing to use my immersion blender. I was similarly perplexed as to how much chevre to get (realizing i had failed to ask Jen any semblance of proportions) so i just grabbed 16 oz and called it a night. After all, this was supposed to be easy.

(Alright, i had already opened one can when i realized i had to snap some pics for y'all so there's only 3 here. You should use one more)

Back home, i cracked my cans into my largest stew pot, spooned about 10 oz of chevre in, and turned the heat on medium low. I pounded in hefty doses of salt, pepper, and garlic power (note: i ended up having to do this two or three more times; taste as you go but be aware this one can really handle a good deal of spice) and stirred regularly for the first four minutes or so as the chevre melted in and the red mix became rosy. Then... i didn't know what to do.

(Okaaay, ready! Make magic soup go NOW!)

I mean how the hell does this even work? Just put five things in a pot and a delicious soup emerges? Surely not!

Impatient, i decided to throw in some fresh thyme (about 5 sprigs) and about a tablespoon or two of dehydrated minced onion.

(Thyme and parsley down, rosemary and sage recipes up next)

Then i simply set the timer for 15 minutes, turned the heat to low, and busied my idle hands making some garlic cheesy bread.

Lo and behold, 15 minutes later, a hearty, tasty bisque was born. Yup. Seriously.

(ok, so it still looks like regular old tomato soup. But i swear to you, it tastes incredible)

Try this at home, nonexistent followers, you'll have to experience the ease and the deliciousness yourself to believe it...