photo: Creamy Tomato Basil Soup, Level 3 plate
Creamy Tomato Basil Soup
3The family’s version
- Tomato basil soup
- Grilled cheese for dunking
- Cracked pepper
- Basil garnish
The Level 3 version
- 400 g canned crushed tomatoes
- 150 ml whole milk or cream
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 4 fresh basil leaves
- Commercial thickener as needed
Convert it
- Make the family soup as usual: simmer tomatoes with olive oil and basil for 15 minutes, then add milk or cream.
- Blend the Level 3 portion completely smooth — at least 2 full minutes — then pass it through a fine sieve to catch every seed and skin.
- Check the flow: it should pour slowly off a spoon in a smooth ribbon. If it's too thin, whisk in thickener per the dosing chart and wait the stated time.
- Re-test at serving temperature with the 10 mL syringe test — more than 8 mL should remain after 10 seconds, with some flow.
- Serve in a cup or bowl. Skip the grilled cheese for the Level 3 serving — no dunking, no croutons, no toppings.
EquipmentBlender, fine sieve, 10 mL syringe for testing
SLP tipSoups are the most common mixed-consistency mistake — one crouton turns a safe soup into an unsafe one. Garnish the family bowls only.
Before serving: run the spoon tilt and fork drip tests on the finished plate. Recipes guide you to a texture — only the test confirms it.