Eye Popping Soup

By SuzyHomemakerGoneBad

A bowl of hot tomato soup will leave you cold if it stares back.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoon(s) unsalted butter
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 cup(s) dry white wine
• 2 can(s) (28 ounces each) crushed tomatoes
• 1 quart(s) homemade or low-sodium store-bought chicken stock
• 3 sprig(s) oregano or marjoram
• 1/2 cup(s) half-and-half
• Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
• 6 pitted black Kalamata olives
• 2 sprig(s) fresh rosemary
• 4 fresh chives, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 pound(s) (about 30) bocconcini (bite-size mozzarella balls)
• 1 jar(s) small pimiento-stuffed olives

Details

Servings 1
Adapted from delish.com

Preparation

Step 1

1. Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add onion and garlic; cook until onion is translucent, about 6 minutes.

2. Add wine and cook until most liquid has evaporated, about 1 minute. Add tomatoes, stock, and oregano, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer gently until thickened, about 45 minutes.

3. Using a slotted spoon, remove herbs. Puree soup in small batches until smooth. Return to pan and slowly pour in half-and-half, stirring constantly. Season with salt and pepper.

4. Meanwhile, make the bugs: Use a toothpick to pierce each Kalamata olive 3 times (all the way through to other side). Insert a rosemary leaf into each hole to make 6 legs. Insert two pieces of chive into the small hole at the end of the olive to make antennae.

5. Make the eyeballs: Using a small melon baller, scoop out a hole from each bocconcini. Halve each pimiento-stuffed olive crosswise. Place a half, cut side out, in the hole in each bocconcini to make eyeballs.

6. Ladle hot soup into shallow bowls. Float 4 or 5 eyeballs in soup and place a bug on rim of each bowl.