Oh yes! You read that correctly…Tomato & Gin soup! This tipsy tomato soup is just a bowl of creamy, dreamy comfort food at its finest! It comes together quickly with pantry staples for the most part, but it tastes like you’ve been crafting it for the better part of the day! Fresh tomatoes, a generous glug of Drumshando Gunpowder Irish Gin and sweet cream are the stars of the show.
Tomato soup & grilled cheese sandwich is one of the Husband’s favorite meals. And don’t you know it, Drumshanbo Gunpowder Gin is also high up on his list of favorites. So yeah, this soup is a match made in heaven for him.
Oh and then there are those tasty little Cheddar Cheese Straws, which are standing in for the classic grilled cheese sandwich here. They are quite simply perfection and also come together very quickly. Just use store bought puff pastry, stuff it with freshly grated Irish Cheddar Cheese (I used Dubliner), brush a bit of egg wash over the top, season, twist and then bake. These pillowy, butter cheesy little straws with all their nooks and crannies are perfect for mopping up every last bit of that gorgeous tomato gin soup. Not to mention, they are great for nibbling alongside a bit of wine or pint of beer. Just the combo to brighten up a chilly winter day
Speaking of which, I did mention to you that we just got back from our most recent trip to Ireland. We were in Dublin at the end of January. I am aware that January might not be the most popular time to visit Ireland, but we thought it was great. A little rain never stops us, and as I have mentioned, cold doesn’t bother us either. Not that it was terribly cold in Dublin. The temps hovered right around 40 – 50F for most of the time. And we found a bit of gentle rain to be cozy to tell you the truth. We once again stayed the incomparable Number 31! This luxurious hotel is half traditional Georgian townhouse and half modernist mews which are connected by a charming courtyard.
The Georgian townhouse half is where we have always chosen to stay and we love the mildly eccentric jazz age flamboyance. We love this wallpaper!
And the award winning, legendary breakfast never disappoints. They serve an amazing homemade Cranberry-orange Nut Loaf that is to die for. I attempted to get the recipe, but wasn’t able to wheedle it out of them. You’ll just have to go try it for yourselves! Hands down this is one of the best breakfasts I’ve had anywhere – full stop!
But there I go, getting side tracked again. Back to this Tomato & Irish Gin Soup! This recipe comes from The Raglan Road Cookbook by Kevin Dundon. This is a great cookbook, chock full of contemporary as well as traditional Irish recipes with a smattering of fun stories and interesting Irish trivia and quotes. One of my favorites from WB Yeats: “Being Irish, he had an abiding sense of tragedy, which sustained him through temporary periods of joy”. I’m thinking a big pot of this soup and a handful of cheese straws should be enough to bring on one of those joyful periods for you. Treat yourself to this amazing winter warmer today!
Tomato & Irish Gin Soup
recipe from: The Raglan Road Cookbook by Kevin Dundon
Ingredients:
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 kg (2lb 4 oz.) plum tomatoes, halved
- 60 ml ( generous 2 fl. oz.)Irish gin
- 700 ml (3 cups) vegetable stock
- 1 pinch light brown sugar, optional
- 225 ml (8 fl. oz.) cream
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 Tablespoon herb oil to garnish, optional
Directions:
Heat the olive oil in a pan over medium-high hear. Add the garlic and onion and sauté for a few minutes until golden. Add the tomatoes and continue to cook for another 5 minutes or so until well heated through and just beginning to break down. Season with salt and pepper.
Pour the gin into the pan and continue to stir occasionally until the gin reduces by half. Stir in the stock and allow it to reduce by half, stirring occasionally.
Blitz with a hand blender until you reach a smooth purée consistency. Season to taste and add the sugar if you wish.
To serve, add the cream to the soup and allow it to warm through. Check the seasoning again and then ladle into warmed serving bowls. Garnish each bowl with a drizzle of herb oil if desired.
Irish Cheddar Cheese Straws
Ingredients:
- 175 grams (6 oz.) sheet of ready rolled puff pastry, thawed if frozen
- all-purpose flour for dusting
- 55 grams (2 oz.) Irish cheddar, finely grated
- 1 egg yolk beaten with 2 tsp water, for egg wash
- flaky sea salt and freshly ground pepper
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 F (180 C). Place the puff pastry on a lightly floured work surface and sprinkle over the cheddar in an even layer. Fold the pastry in half width ways to completely enclose the cheese layer. Roll the pastry out to its original size, dusting the surface with flour as needed. Brush all over with the egg wash and place in the refrigerator for 15 minutes to rest.
Line a baking tray with parchment paper. Remove the chilled cheese pastry and cut it into 4 inch lengths, each 1/2″ wide. Twist the ends in opposite directions. Arrange the twisted strips on the baking sheet and sprinkle with flaky sea salt and pepper if desired.
Bake for 10 minutes or until crisp and golden brown, then transfer to a wire rack and leave to cool.
Enjoy!
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Travel Planning Guide:
Getting there: Icelandair! We love Icelandair and have always had great experience with them. Icelandair flies to Dublin, Ireland. Take advantage of their Stopover program on your next flight to Europe.
Car Rental: New Way Car Hire – Love the all-inclusive pricing on these cars as well as the Dublin Airport pickup!
Accommodation: Number 31 – This luxurious hotel is half traditional Georgian townhouse and half modernist mews which are connected by a charming courtyard. The Georgian townhouse half is where we have always chosen to stay and we love the mildly eccentric jazz age flamboyance. The location of this decadent hideaway is also superb. It is steps from St. Stephen’s Green in the heart of the city. We would not dream of stying any where else and cannot wait to visit again!
Restaurants/ Cafés/ Bakeries/ Pubs:
Bar 1661 – Voted Ireland’s Bar of the Year in 2022! My favorite cocktail bar full stop! Not just in Ireland, but everywhere! Folks, if you are visiting Dublin and you like cocktails at all, this is an absolute must!!! The ambiance is in point, not to mention the historical significance as well as the absolute enthusiasm everyone there has for crafting exceptional cocktails! I will say, make sure you book a reservation. You do not want to miss this!
Attractions:
Dublin Castle – 13 Century castle. Today Irish Govenment and Conference Center.
Grafton Street – One of the principal shopping streets in the city center. Mostly pedestrianised and lined with many cafes, shops and street performers.
Temple Bar- Busy riverside neighborhood with many pubs, restaurants and quirky boutiques.
Guinness Storehouse – Learn about the history of Ireland’s most iconic beer over seven floors. Enjoy 360 degree views of the city from the Gravity Bar!
Lea & Jay 
This one sounds really interesting!