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| Honey Tomatoes Chowder (Turkish) |
Introduction
There’s something so sun-soaked about tomatoes when you walk into a Turkish kitchen. The first time I met a tomato broth kissed with honey, I was at a little guesthouse in Izmir. The cook charred garden tomatoes until their skins curled, stirred in a drizzle of honey, and topped it all with a scoop of tangy yogurt. The bowl was warmer than July, with a tangy, soft sweetness that stays on your lips. I carried that taste home and turned it into this Honey Tomatoes Chowder, turned the memory into a creamy, hug-in-a-bowl kind of soup.
Whether you’re walking back from a village market in the south of France or gathering sun-warm beauties from your own U.S. backyard, this soup keeps that warm tomato fragrance and a little spice, with a Turkish wink. I’ll guide you through a recipe that feels genuine yet simple, right for a quick dinner, a fancy starter, or a cheeky lunch that still tastes like July.
Ingredients
-Makes about 4–6 servings. Fit tip: pick tomatoes that are so soft they almost feel like they’re confessing sweetness, or open a can of flavor-packed, sun-ripe tomatoes.
-1.2 kg / 2.6 lb ripe tomatoes (6-8 medium), halved, OR 2 x 400 g / 14 oz cans whole plum tomatoes
-2 tbsp / 30 ml olive oil (plus more for drizzling)
-2 tbsp / 30 ml light honey (orange blossom or clover works best)
-1 medium onion, finely diced (150 g / 5 oz)
-2 garlic cloves, minced
-2 tbsp / 30 g tomato paste
-300–500 ml / 1 1/4–2 cups vegetable or chicken stock (thinner or thicker, your choice)
-300 g / 10.5 oz potatoes, peeled and diced (optional; makes the chowder heartier)
-120 ml / 1/2 cup thick plain yogurt OR 200 ml / 3/4 cup single/double cream (for creamier chowder)
-1 tsp / 2 g smoked paprika or Aleppo pepper (optional, for a kick)
-1 tbsp / 15 ml lemon juice (for brightness)
-Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste (1–1.5 tsp / 5–8 g salt is a good start)
-30 g / 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts or pumpkin seeds for topping
-Fresh herbs (mint, dill, or parsley), chopped, for garnish
-Optional: crusty bread or toasted pide for dipping.
Preparation Steps
-Preheat your oven to 200°C / 400°F. On a baking tray, arrange the halved tomatoes cut side up. Drizzle with 1 tbsp olive oil and the honey, then sprinkle with a little salt. Roast for 25 to 35 minutes, until the tomatoes are caramelized and just starting to shrivel.
-While the tomatoes are roasting, heat the rest of the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Toss in the diced onion and a pinch of salt. Sauté until the onion is soft and translucent—about 6 to 8 minutes. Add the minced garlic and let it cook for just 1 minute, until it smells great.
-Now stir in the tomato paste and, if you like, the smoked paprika. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes to let the flavors deepen. This gives the chowder a lovely, layered taste.
-Dump the roasted tomatoes (or the canned ones, if you’re swapped) into the pot, smashing them gently with a spoon. If you’re adding diced potatoes, toss them in now, then pour in the stock. Bring the whole pot to a gentle simmer and cook until the potatoes are soft and the flavors have blended—12 to 15 minutes is perfect.
-Take the pot off the heat and use an immersion blender to puree the soup until it’s silk-smooth with just a few chunks, or until it’s as chunky as you like. If you don’t have an immersion blender, carefully transfer soup in batches to a blender. If the soup seems too thick, stir in a splash more stock.
-Stir the yogurt or cream and the lemon juice into the chowder until everything is blended and brilliant.
-Taste the chowder and adjust with more salt and pepper if needed. Warm it over low heat (skip the boil if you’ve added yogurt) until it’s just hot throughout.
-Ladle the chowder into bowls. Drizzle with a glug of extra olive oil, sprinkle on some toasted pine nuts or seeds, and finish with fresh herbs. Serve with crusty bread or toast pide for dipping on the side.
Tips & Variations
-This Honey Tomatoes Chowder welcomes swaps: roast fresh tomatoes for deeper, caramelized flavor, or grab a can for speed and ease.
-Keep it vegan by trading the yogurt or cream for full-fat coconut milk or unsweetened soy yogurt. Agave or date syrup also swaps in nicely for the honey.
-A pinch of crushed red pepper, or a teaspoon of mild chili paste, adds a warm counter to the sweetness. A sprinkle of smoked paprika or a spoonful of toasted cumin seeds brings a lovely background smokiness.
-Cook in advance: the chowder chills nicely for 2–3 days. Reheat on low, adding a bit of stock to loosen if it’s thickened.
Closing
This Honey Tomatoes Chowder takes a classic Turkish combo of sweet, charred tomatoes and tangy yogurt and turns it into a warm, creamy, crowd-pleasing soup.
A tiny hint of honey, a few shredded mint leaves: these little pops of flavor turn everyday tomatoes into a stand-out dish. Here’s a nugget for trivia champs: tomatoes traveled to Turkey along ancient Mediterranean trade routes and the locals reimagined them to make them their own. This sweet-salty approach is a go-to dish for me whenever the weather is cool but the tomatoes still smell like sunshine.
Make this recipe tonight, invite your favorite people to the table, and peek in this space for tasty dishes from around the globe. If you give it a try, let me know: Did you swirl in cool yogurt or pour in a splash of creamy dairy? Which herb landed on top, and did it steal the show?