For Chef Jaydan Lamb (Cook Apprentice 2019, Culinary Careers 2018), cooking has always been a passion. So when she moved to Lethbridge from her hometown of Fort McMurray after the 2016 wildfires, she applied to the polytechnic’s Culinary program.
“I had a close family friend from back home tell me all about her time at the [polytechnic] while taking the Culinary program,” Lamb says. “She raved about the chefs and the welcoming nature of the institution, and I knew I had to go there myself.”
Lamb started at Paradise Canyon Golf Course in 2017 as a prep cook and slowly worked her way up to head chef. She says she now has the opportunity to host apprentices from her alma mater and share her knowledge and passion with them while also learning new things herself.
She chose a tomato soup recipe to share with Wider Horizons readers because it pairs well with a grilled cheese sandwich – the first dish she learned how to make as a kid. “To this day, grilled cheese and homemade tomato soup is one of my favourite meals to cook,” she says. “It was one meal my whole family could agree on when I was growing up, so it definitely has fond memories attached to it. And, for someone like me, who isn’t a big vegetable lover, it’s a great way to get some veggies into your system!”
INGREDIENTS
8 tomatoes
2 yellow onions
1 red pepper
2 litres marinara sauce
6 cloves garlic (minced)
½ c. olive oil
2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp basil
1 tsp oregano
to taste salt and pepper
2 c. chicken broth
1 c. whipping cream
METHOD
1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Core tomatoes, peel onions and remove the seeds from the pepper. Cut each vegetable into large wedges and place in a large bowl. Add a ¼ cup of the olive oil, the listed spices, salt and pepper to taste, and mix until evenly coated. Place the vegetables on a parchment paper-lined baking tray. Roast in the oven for 30 to 40 minutes.
3. Blend the roasted vegetables until smooth using a blender or an immersion blender. Set aside.
4. In a large pot, add the remaining olive oil, heat on medium and sauté the minced garlic. Add the marinara sauce and blended roasted vegetables. Mix until fully combined and let it come to a simmer. Simmer for five minutes. Add the chicken stock, then let the soup simmer for another five to 10 minutes.
5. Blend the entire batch of soup again until smooth.
6. Strain to remove any lumps.
7. Add the cream and season with salt and pepper to taste.
8. Serve with your favourite sandwich or make a grilled cheese sandwich and cut into large cubes to use as croutons.
9. Enjoy!
To enjoy the creations of Lethbridge Polytechnic chefs, make a reservation at the Garden Court Restaurant by calling 403-320-3230. Bon appétit!
