Tomato Soup

This is the last soup I’ll post for awhile, I promise. It’s just that I can’t think of an easier way to eat my vegetables. To tell you the truth, I’ve actually been eating lots of crap like sweet potato poutine (sweet potato fries + the St Hubert gravy someone special sent me from Montreal + stracchino), bacon and egg rolls, and, my new obsession, ham and cheese croissants. Mmmm, I’m making myself hungry.

This soup was from a few weeks ago and man was it good. Francesco and I actually fought over who would get the tiny portion of leftovers for lunch. (I won.) I’d made it once before, back in the depths of a Montreal winter, and I’ve been planning to make it again pretty much ever since. The first time around, I crisped some zucchini rounds to serve on top, but this time I went for the ulitimate classic, served with grilled cheese.

And though I tried to retrace my steps, I have no idea where this recipe came from, so I apologize if I’m infringing on your copyright or just being mean. If you contact me, I’ll give you credit and send you a big, wet kiss. That’s how good this soup is. It’s your ultimate classic tomato soup. The kind they served at your elementary school cafeteria next to a greasy, gooey grilled cheese sandwich. Only so much better.

The trick, I think, is the roasted tomatoes. It brings out the sweetness of the tomatoes even when they’re not in season and makes your whole house smell like deliciousness. After roasting some halved tomatoes with some basil and garlic in the oven for an hour or so, you just puree them with some broth and add a dash of milk, a dash of this and that, and voila. Though you’re a special kind of person if you’re able to resist plucking one of the softened, almost caramelized tomatoes off the tray and plopping it into your mouth.

Once you’ve pureed it all, that’s it. You’ve got yourself the perfect tomato soup. Now just grab some bread and cheese – white sliced with American? – fry yourself up a greasy, gooey grilled cheese, and it’s 4th grade all over again. Only so much better.

TOMATO SOUP

Your ultimate classic tomato soup. Serve with grilled cheese sandwiches. Serves 2.

5 tomatoes, halved
2 garlic cloves, peeled
10 basil leaves
½ cup tomato purée (passata)
3 – 4 cups chicken stock or water (or use ⅓ of a bullion cube)
1 – 2 tablespoons brown sugar
⅓ cup milk

Preheat oven to 400°F/200°C. On a foil-lined baking sheet, arrange halved tomatoes and garlic, draping basil leaves over tomatoes. Drizzle with olive oil and a tiny bit of salt and pepper.
Roast for approximately 1 hour.

In a soup pot, place roasted vegetables, tomato purée and stock; cover and cook on medium-high for 15 minutes.
Purée soup until creamy. Add sugar, milk, salt and pepper to taste. Serve with grilled cheese or topped with zucchini crisps, croutons, fresh basil and grated pecorino and a good hunk of corn bread on the side.