Some years ago, while still in our outdoor kitchen, we launched a quest for the best version of tomato soup. We tried multiple recipes with all sorts of variations, but this was the winner. You can make it with any type of our tomatoes (the photo above was heavy on the golden types). With up to 3/4 of an inch of rain forecast for tomorrow, I’m guessing we’ll be ready for a cup of this after market, and maybe you will be too.
Ingredients:
2 1/2 pounds fresh tomatoes
1 1/2 cups of sweet or yellow onion, sliced
2-4 medium garlic cloves (or many more if you love garlic; we use a whole head)
1/4-1/3 cup olive oil
salt and freshly ground pepper
1 quart chicken stock or good vegetable broth
2-3 tablespoons butter
3/4 cup half-and-half or yogurt (optional, for a creamy version)
optional: 1-2 sweet red or yellow/ orange peppers, chopped
Directions:
Preheat oven to 450.
Wash tomatoes, cut out stems and any bad spots, cut into quarters and place on a large baking dish, cake ban, or cast-iron skillet. Add sliced onion and whole, peeled, garlic cloves, and optional sweet peppers, if using. Drizzle all of these with a generous dose of olive oil. Roast for 30-45 minutes, stirring once or twice if needed, until tomato chunks begin to lose their shape and juices start to caramelize.
Remove the roasted tomatoes, etc., from the oven and transfer to a large stock pot. Add 2-3 cups of the chicken stock or broth (use the lesser amounts if you like a really thick soup, or if you plan to add creamy liquids later), bring to a boil and simmer gently for 5-10 minutes to blend flavors and thicken. Stir in butter to melt, and blend all ingredients with an immersion blender (or in batches in a regular blender or food processor). Add salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.
Add remaining broth and/or cream to reach your preferred thickness and creaminess, and bring gently up to hot (try to not boil the soup with cream). Serve hot; it’s nice with a dollop of sour cream or yogurt on top if you don’t add the cream (or, perhaps, even if you do!) We love tomato soup with grilled cheese, garlic toast, or just sipped by the cup as a snack during cold winter building. Enjoy!