Roasted tomato soup, spiked with crushed red pepper flakes and smokey Spanish paprika is the perfect accompaniment to a gooey grilled cheese sandwich on a cool fall evening.
Ingredients
- 20 roma tomatoes, sliced in half
- 3 large cherry or strawberry tomatoes, sliced in half for garnish
- 6 T olive oil, divided (approximately)
- 8 cloves garlic
- 2 onions
- 5 cups chicken or vegetable stock
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 t dried basil
- 1 t Spanish paprika (sweet or hot)
- ½ t crushed red pepper flakes
- Salt and pepper to taste
- ¾ cup cream (optional)
- 5 ounces of goat cheese cut into 6 slices (optional)
- 6 large basil leaves
Directions
- 1Heat oven to 425. Wipe a roasting pan with a little olive oil. ( I splash it on and then use a tomato half to wipe it around.) Place all the tomatoes cut side up. Splash tops with a bit more olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Roast for 30 to 45 minutes, watching carefully so they don't burn. The little cherry tomatoes will take less time, so plan on pulling them out early and set aside. These little tomatoes will be used for garnish.
- 2While the tomatoes are roasting, whirl the garlic cloves in a food processor. Add the onions and pulse until the onions are coarsely chopped. Do not over process or you will get onion juice.
- 3Put 2 T olive oil in a dutch oven or other large heavy-bottomed pot on medium high heat. Add onions and garlic mixture and saute until soft and they begin to caramelize, about 20 minutes.
- 4When tomatoes are done, remove from oven and put in a food processor. Whirl until smooth.
- 5Add tomatoes, stock and herbs to the onion and garlic mixture. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to medium low for about 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in cream (optional), taste and season again if needed. Remove from heat.
- 6While soup is cooking, press the slices of goat cheese between a sheet of plastic wrap to create 6 goat cheese coins. Set aside.
- 7Serve the soup in individual bowls. Scatter a few strips of basil on top of each bowl. Place a goat cheese coin in the center of the soup bowl and top with ½ roasted cherry tomato.
