Roasted Tomato Soup

So many garden tomatoes, making roasted tomato soup for dinner - really easy recipe that avoids the need to skin and seed them. Just cut the tops off the tomatoes, and slice into big chunks, toss with some olive oil, some peeled garlic and some cut up peeled onion - hit with some salt and pepper and bake in a 350 over for about 40 mins

Then combine tomatoes, garlic and onion with some chicken broth and bay leaves and bring to a boil, lower heat and let cook about an hour - use an immersion blender (remove the bay leaves!) to puree and add about 1/2 cup heavy cream if you want to be decadent or skip it and it'll still be great! You can strain this to make it more elegant, but I don't -  I'll add the recipe and show you a picture when its done!

To go with the soup I am planning a mushroom risotto, so I'll start that about 30 mins before I want to serve dinner - I like risotto served as soon as its done, it doesn't hold very well. Leftover risotto is great for suppli though - which I would like to make some time this week (these are basically balls of risotto encasing a piece of mozzarella breaded and sauteed or fried - really good)

usually i'd leave a little more space...

Easy Roasted Tomato Soup

• 3 lbs tomatos
• 8 cloves garlic, peeled
• 1 onion sliced thin
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• salt
• pepper
• 2 Tbs butter
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 Tbs tomato paste
• 1/2 cup heavy cream (optional)

Preheat oven to 350. Oil a large baking sheet, cut tops off tomatoes and cut in half, or quarters if large. Place cut side down on oiled baking sheet, add garlic, scatter onion over top, drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast for about 40 mins. Carefully pour hot liquid off pan. Add all veggies to a large soup pot, add butter, chicken broth and bay leaves. Bring to a boil, lower heat. Stir in tomato paste. Cook for an hour (liquid should reduce by about 1/3). Remove bay leaves. Puree soup with an immersion blender. Add heavy cream and additional salt and pepper if desired