R is for Roasted Tomato Basil Soup

This is my favorite tomato basil soup recipe. It is from Ina Garten of The Barefoot Contessa. Roasting the tomatoes means that you can get a deeper flavor from your tomatoes, which is especially wonderful when tomato season has ended. A bowl of vegetable (fruit?) soup on its own is rarely filling enough for dinner. Around here, I will make it with Grilled Cheese sandwiches for Maya and me, and with some roasted chicken for Ted. He shreds it and puts it in the soup. It calls for a lot of basil, but it’s delicious that way. I don’t think I would EVER put a tablespoon of salt in this recipe, though. I start with a teaspoon, and add more if needed. There is likely salt in your canned tomatoes and stock, even if you get the low sodium versions. For the canned tomatoes, I like Muir Glen fire roasted tomatoes in this recipe. And I don’t have a food mill, nor do I have room for one in my tiny kitchen. I use an immersion blender.

Roasted Tomato Basil Soup
Ingredients

3 pounds ripe plum tomatoes, cut in half lengthwise

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons good olive oil

1 tablespoon kosher salt

1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

2 cups chopped yellow onions (2 onions)

6 garlic cloves, minced

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1 (28-ounce) canned plum tomatoes, with their juice

4 cups fresh basil leaves, packed

1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

1 quart chicken stock or water

Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Toss together the tomatoes, 1/4 cup olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread the tomatoes in 1 layer on a baking sheet and roast for 45 minutes.

In an 8-quart stockpot over medium heat, saute the onions and garlic with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, the butter, and red pepper flakes for 10 minutes, until the onions start to brown. Add the canned tomatoes, basil, thyme, and chicken stock. Add the oven-roasted tomatoes, including the liquid on the baking sheet. Bring to a boil and simmer uncovered for 40 minutes. Pass through a food mill fitted with the coarsest blade. Taste for seasonings. Serve hot or cold.