Domestic

I love cooking, and I love cooking new things. Now that I am home and bored for this last week... I just want to cook; however, I really can't. Anyway last week I had made a super easy soup that I had been wanting to make so here it is.

Homemade Tomato Soup with Grilled Cheese Croutons

Prep time: 50 minutes | Cook time: 45 minutes | Total time: 1 hour 35 minutes

Yield: 4 servings

INGREDIENTS:

For the soup:

• 5 large plump tomatoes, halved
• 1-2 cups vegetable broth
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
• Salt and black pepper
• 1 medium yellow onion
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced  
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 1 sprig fresh thyme
• 10 basil leaves 

For the grilled cheese croutons:

• 2 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh basil*
• 4 slices sourdough bread
• 6 slices Colby-Jack cheese

DIRECTIONS:

Prepare the soup:

1. Preheat the panini grill to high heat.
2. Scoop out the pulp and seeds from the tomato halves into a small bowl. Place a strainer over a liquid measuring cup; pour the pulp and seeds through the strainer to collect tomato juice. Add enough vegetable broth to the measuring cup to bring the total amount of liquid to 2 cups. Set aside.
3. Drizzle the cut sides of the tomato halves with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and season with sea salt and black pepper. Adjust your grill so that it is at a slight tilt (not completely flat), with drip tray in place to collect the juices that will run off. In batches, place the tomatoes, cut side down, on the grill. Close the lid, making light contact with the tomatoes without pressing them. Grill the tomatoes for 8-10 minutes until the outer skins are wrinkly and the tomatoes are soft.
4. Slice the onion into 1/2-inch thick rounds (do not separate the rings). Drizzle the onions with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place the onions on the grill. Close the lid, making light contact with the tomatoes without pressing them. Grill the onions for 4-6 minutes until they are tender.
5. Transfer the onions to a cutting board, let them cool a bit and give them a rough chop.
6. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a dutch oven or large saucepan over medium heat. Add the red bell pepper and stir for 4 to 5 minutes until it begins to soften. Add in the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook for another minute. Stir in the grilled tomatoes, onions, sugar, parsley, thyme sprig and vegetable stock mixture. Bring the soup to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for 40 minutes.
7. Purée the soup either with an immersion blender or, in batches, in a blender or food processor. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot with grilled cheese croutons.

Prepare the grilled cheese croutons:

1. Preheat the panini grill to medium-high heat.
2. Mix the butter and herbs together in a small bowl. Spread herb butter on each slice of bread. Turn two of the bread slices over; add three slices of cheese to each slice of bread. Close each sandwich with another slice of bread, buttered side up.
3. Grill the panini for 3 to 4 minutes until the cheese is melted and bread is toasted. Transfer the panini from the grill to a cutting board. Trim the crusts from the panini and cut up each sandwich into 1-inch square pieces.