Maximizing your Oven - Part II: Tomato Soup

PHOTO: Quyen's Roasted Tomato Soup with Basil Oil and Chiffonade

I've noticed that a lot of people don't like tomatoes. I wonder what it is about them that is unlikable. Is it the texture? The taste? I know some only like cooked tomatoes. Why? Why?

If you DO like tomatoes, though, you're in for a treat if you've never made your own tomato soup. I like to use three types of tomatoes for my soup, which I think gives it much more depth than just fresh or canned alone. Since heirlooms can be quite pricey, it's hard to find really delicious "regular" tomatoes, so I find that roasting them concentrates the flavor. Here's how I make it:

Several pounds of Roma or Vine-Ripened Tomatoes, cleaned and halved
Olive oil
Sea or grey salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Crushed chili flakes
1 12 oz. can whole tomatoes (preferably San Marzano)
Couple onions
Chicken (preferably homemade) or vegetable stock
Several large handfuls of basil leaves, washed and dried
2 heads of garlic

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. On a sheet pan spread out your halved tomatoes, and generously drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper. Save a couple fresh tomatoes to add to the soup later. Prep your garlic heads for roasting. Cut off tops, drizzle with oil, salt and pepper, and wrap in foil. Roast tomatoes and garlic for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until caramelized and tomato skins wrinkle. When cool enough to handle, the garlic should easily squeeze out--add a touch of olive oil and set aside. (I like to roast garlic whenever I make a savory dish in the oven...maximize baby.)

In a large Dutch oven, sweat onions and a couple cloves of fresh garlic in olive oil until translucent, about 10 mintues. Add chili flakes, roasted tomatoes, half the basil, canned tomatoes, fresh tomatoes and enough stock to just cover the veggies, and simmer for about an hour. Add the rest of the basil and blend together until desired consistency. If you have a food mill, process your soup to get rid of the skins. Be careful when pureeing hot liquids. Use a dish towel to hold down the top and work in small batches, or use a hand immersion blender.

Garnish with basil chiffonade (roll up basil leaves and slice thinly into long strips), and serve with bread or crostini and roasted garlic oil.

If you want an even richer soup, you can add the roasted garlic to the soup near the end of the simmer, and / or add a dollop of cream, creme fraiche or goat cheese before serving.

I prefer it without cream, though, for a change :)

Wish you could have a bite,
Quyen