
Whew! What a weekend! I was lucky enough to spend my Saturday in Fredericksburg, Texas with my Mother and Sister in law. What a nice day of shopping, sipping, and enjoying some awesome company!
I woke up Sunday relaxed and ready to take on some cooking in the kitchen. I started my day off with this delicious roasted tomato basil soup.
To add a touch of smokiness and extra sweetness, I added a red bell pepper to the mix and it made for a tasty experience. I like to let my tomatoes roast until they start to flatten out and release their juices. This will help bring home the tomato flavor and add the much needed sweetness since we are not adding sugar of any kind.
The crunch of the croutons adds the needed texture while getting the pop of salt from the cheese.
I specifically asked Troy if he would not take this to work for fear that I wouldn’t see it again this week! This is a must try recipe!
Enjoy and Happy Eating!
Ingredients
10 Roma tomatoes, halved lengthwise
1 red bell pepper, de-seeded
Olive Oil
Salt and pepper
1 head of garlic
1 onion, diced
2 tbs tomato paste
1/2 cup basil
1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
6 cups chicken or vegetable stock
For the Croutons
3 slices of bread, cut into crouton sized squares
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 tbs Italian seasoning
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400. Place tomatoes and red bell pepper on a parchment lined baking sheet. Drizzle olive oil, salt, and pepper onto them.
Cut the top off of the garlic, exposing the tops of the cloves. On a small sheet of foil, place cut garlic and drizzle with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Close the foil around the garlic completely. This will roast in the oven along with the tomatoes and red bell pepper.
Place baking sheet on bottom rack of the oven and roast for 40 minutes. Remove the bell pepper and garlic bundle. Continue roasting the tomatoes for 20 more minutes.
While the tomatoes are roasting, saute onion in a skillet with olive oil until soft. When the onions become soft, add the tomato paste and saute for 3-4 more minutes.
Once the tomatoes are out of the oven, combine 4 roasted garlic cloves, tomatoes, red bell peppers, and the onion and tomato paste mixture into a high speed blender. Pour into a pot, add the parmesan, and simmer with the lid on for 10 minutes.
Blend until you reach your desired consistency. Add the basil and pulse 5 more times.
Salt and pepper to taste.
For the Croutons:
Toss the cut bread with a drizzle of olive oil, salt, and pepper. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet and place on the top rack under broiler. Keep a close eye on them! They can burn quickly. Remove once they are crispy and toss with cheese, salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. Place back under broiler and broil for 1-2 minutes longer.
To plate: Spoon soup into bowl and top with cheese croutons, basil, and a sprinkle of Italian seasoning.