Roasted Tomato Soup

One of E.’s favorite things to make is tomato soup and he is spectacular at it. He has spent numerous hours and quite a few attempts figuring out the perfect balance of tomatoes, seasonings and bacon.

When he first told me that he was going to put bacon into the soup I have to say that I wasn’t too thrilled about it. Why would someone put bacon into a perfectly fine soup? But, he has always been great in the kitchen and I’m not one to turn down the potential consumption of bacon. To make a long story short it was amazing.

Fast forward to today, E. has been out of town for two weeks. And, since it has only been a short amount of time since our recent cohabitation, I’ve been missing him immensely. I thought that he absence would be the perfect excuse to try to recreate his infamous concoction? So I went to the grocery store, bought 3 pounds of tomatoes, 2 large onions, 1 pound of bacon and hoped for the best.

I decided that going it alone was not a wise idea. So, I elicited the help of Tyler Florence for his “ultimate tomato soup.” What I love most about his quest for the perfect tomato soup is that he takes the time to roast them. Roasting helps to bring out the natural sweetness of the tomatoes, as well as the onions and garlic that I also put on the roasting pan.

But what about the bacon? While the tomatoes et al are roasting in the oven, roughly chop the bacon and let it render in a large stock pot. Once the tomatoes are roasted, place them in the pot along with the onions. Remove the garlic from the paper and add it in as well. Pour in one cup of chicken stock, and blend with an immersion blender. This soup should be served hot, and goes extremely well with a grilled cheese sandwich- perfect for a fall dinner.

Roasted Tomato Soup
Inspired by Tyler Florence

Ingredients

3 pounds fresh tomatoes (mix of fresh heirlooms, cherry, vine and plum tomatoes), halved
6 cloves garlic, peeled
2 large yellow onions, quartered
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup chicken stock
1 pound bacon, roughly chopped
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves, optional
3/4 cup heavy cream, optional

Directions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

Wash, cut the tomatoes into halves. Spread the tomatoes, garlic cloves and onions onto a baking tray. Drizzle with 1/4 cup of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 20 to 30 minutes, or until caramelized.

In a large stock pot, render the pound of bacon, about 7 minutes, over medium high heat.

Remove roasted tomatoes, garlic and onion from the oven and transfer to the stock pot. Add in the chicken stock. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes or until liquid has reduced by a third.

Wash and dry basil leaves, if using, and add to the pot. Use an immersion blender to puree the soup until smooth. Return soup to low heat, add cream and adjust consistency with remaining chicken stock, if necessary. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.