Roasted Garlic and Tomato Soup 3 pounds (more or less) toamtoes - I prefer medium Romas 12 medium to large cloves of garlic - peeled 8 medium to large shallots - peeled. An equivalent amount of pearl boiler onions could be substituted 1 tsp dried rosemary - crushed, or 3 to 4 sprigs of fresh if available 1 tsp (generous) of dry thyme Olive oil spray (Pam) 4 cups chicken broth - canned is fine, and Swanson now markets a product in 1 quart cartons. If you use bullion - 4 cubes or tsp (low sodium) in 4 cups hot water 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar - no substitutions here 1 tsp dry basil - I use Polaner's wet packed in jar - 2 tsp 1 (16 oz) or (10 oz) can tomato puree Freshly ground black pepper (1 tsp) and salt to taste Preheat oven to 400. Prepare baking dish/pan by spraying with olive oil spray. Wash and core (stem-end only) tomatoes, and place in baking dish with garlic & shallots. Spray tomatoes, garlic and shallots thoroughly with olive oil spray. Dust liberally with the thyme and sprinkle rosemary overall. I also cross-hatch the opposite end of the tomatoes from the calyx as this helps the skin release after simmering. It's not essential that you spray the vegetables. . . just any method that coats them thoroughly with olive oil. Bake uncovered 25 - 35 minutes or until the tomatoes start to brown or wrinkle significantly. Get the contents roasted thoroughly but don't let garlic get too brown. Transfer all to a heavy pot (4 to 5 quart) and simmer gently for 30 to 45 minutes - don't reduce liquid by more than 15%. If you elect the spray technique, or any method to lightly coat the tomatoes, garlic and shallots, use all of the contents of the roasting vessel (just be careful to avoid getting more than a tsp or two of oil in the finished soup). After first simmering, I remove the tomato skins (there's lots of flavor in the skins which will be given up in the simmering) Add puree, basil, pepper and salt. Puree thoroughly - I use an electric hand-held blender and puree the soup while in the pot. A food processor or blender would be fine, just be careful of the hot food, and don't try to do too much at one time. Simmer gently covered for at least 30 minutes and correct salt and pepper if needed. Add balsamic vinegar and simmer for 5 more minutes. Process finished soup through a chinois - we omit this step, as we prefer the texture if thoroughly pureed. Garnish with grated Parmesan or chevre - not too important. Syble Nolan Rockport, TX |