Ingredients
~2 tablespoons unsalted butter
~1 onion, finely chopped
~3 garlic cloves, minced
~1/2 cups dry white wine
~2 cans (28 ounces each) crushed tomatoes
~1 quarts homemade or low-sodium store-bought chicken stock
~3 sprigs oregano or marjoram
~1/2 cups half-and-half
~Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
~6 pitted black Kalamata olives
~2 sprigs fresh rosemary
~4 fresh chives, cut into 1-inch pieces
~1 pounds (about 30) bocconcini (bite-size mozzarella balls)
~1 jar small pimiento-stuffed olives
Directions
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 4 times (all the way through to other side). Insert a rosemary leaf into each hole to make eight 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.
Once again, another great recipe from Martha Stewart!
