New Year's: Bloody Mary Soup

Bloody Mary Soup

For New Year’s Day and all the football games, this is the ideal soup. Serve warm in mugs with a rib of celery and with a crusty chunk of bread and you have a deeply satisfying holiday or game-day meal.

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 large onion, diced

3 ribs of celery, finely chopped

2 cloves of garlic, minced

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

2- 28 ounces cans diced tomatoes with juice

Salt and pepper

2 teaspoons grated horseradish

In a Dutch oven, melt the butter and sauté the onion and celery till soft.  Add the garlic and Worcestershire sauce and sauté 1 more minute.  To the pot, add the tomatoes and salt and pepper to taste.  Increase the heat to high and bring the soup to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the horseradish and puree till a smooth consistency with a hand immersion blender or in a standard blender by batches. Serve warm. Makes 8 cups.