Roasted Tomato Soup

My mom recently gave me a ton of tomatoes, all shapes and sizes, from her garden. I wanted to make sure I put them to good use because this is really the only time of year when tomatoes are worth eating.  I followed Tyler Florence’s recipe for roasted tomato soup and it was delicious. Perfect for a rainy fall day like today!

Roasted Tomato Soup
Serves 6

What I used:

• 2 1/2 pounds fresh, ripe tomatoes
• 6 cloves garlic, peeled
• 3 large shallots, sliced (or you could use a large onion)
• 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 quart chicken broth
• 2 bay leaves
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
• 1/2 cup heavy cream

What I did:

1. Preheat oven to 450.
2. Core and cut the tomatoes into halves. Spread the tomatoes, garlic cloves and onions onto a baking sheet. Drizzle with the 1/3 cup olive oil and season well with salt and pepper. Roast for about 30 minutes until everything’s nice and caramelized.
3. Transfer the roasted veg to a large stock pot or dutch oven. Add 3 cups of the chicken stock, bay leaves, and butter. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for about 20 minutes or until liquid has reduced by a third.
4. Add the basil and use an immersion blender (or transfer to a regular blender or food processor) to puree the soup until smooth. Return soup to low heat, add cream and add the remaining chicken broth if it’s a little too thick. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.