Serves 4 • Prep Time 20 minutes • Cook Time 25 minutes

We think this unique update on a comforting classic is sheer genius. You’ll think you’re sipping in a fine restaurant, and the kids will slurp it up, too! To save money, try swapping in budget-friendly precooked shrimp for the fresh crabmeat. For an easy veggie version, use vegetable stock instead of chicken, and omit the crab.

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 shallots, minced
1 cup drained oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, julienned
1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 1/2 cups chicken stock
3 tablespoons heavy cream
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1/4 pound fresh lump crabmeat, picked over for shell fragments
2 tablespoons chopped chives

1. In a large saucepan, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add shallots and sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes and broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer 20 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.

2 Working in batches, purée soup in a blender or food processor until smooth. Return to the pot over low heat and stir in cream until heated through. Season with salt and pepper. Serve garnished with crabmeat and chives.

Excerpted from Williams-Sonoma Soup of the Day: 365 Recipes for Every Day of the Year, by Kate McMillan (Weldon Owen 2012).