I feel like Santa Claus when he hands out the silver bell to the little boy in Polar Express and bellows, “the first gift of Christmas!” It is so seasonally appropriate. The bell is the perfect choice. It makes my insides feel like I have just been wrapped up in a warm blanket. It welcomes me to the Christmas season just like this soup is the perfect way to welcome you to fall.
This soup is always the first soup of fall at our house. It rings in the new season and uses all the extra glorious tomatoes from the garden. It is warm on a cool fall day and delivers a fond farewell to summer as you use tomatoes you’ve harvested from your garden to make it.
It is perfect with a grilled cheese sandwich made with thick slices of fresh mozzarella cheese. I doubled the recipe so that we could have leftovers for lunch the next day. My favorite part about making this soup is after the vegetables are done roasting, there is this olive oil that has turned golden seeping with garlic and tomato flavors. It is so good. I lick it off the pan.
6 cloves garlic, peeled
2 small yellow onions, sliced
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 quart chicken stock
2 bay leaves
4 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup heavy cream
When the tomatoes are finished cooking, carefully move the pan contents into a large saucepan. (At this point you will have a layer of the most delicious olive oil coating your pan. Be kind and share some with the soup, then take the leftovers and slather over a piece of crusty bread, or a finger.) Add 3/4 of the chicken stock, butter and bay leaves. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer for 15 minutes. Puree with an immersion blender if you own one, or puree in batches in a blender. You want to puree until the soup is smooth and the tomato skins are no longer visible. Return the soup to the pot. Add the cream if you are using and then adjust the consistency with more chicken stock. I usually do not add any more stock. Garnish in each bowl with a few of the chopped basil leaves and a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese.
- 2½ pounds fresh tomatoes, about 5-6 medium sized tomatoes
- 6 cloves garlic, peeled
- 2 small yellow onions, sliced
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 quart chicken stock
- 2 bay leaves
- 4 tablespoons butter
- ½ cup chopped fresh basil leaves
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Wash and core the tomatoes, then slice each one in half. Place the tomatoes, garlic and onion on a baking sheet. Drizzle with the olive oil and use your hands to make sure each piece is evenly covered. Lightly salt and pepper the tomato mixture. Roast the tomatoes for 30 minutes, or until the onion and garlic begin to brown and the tomatoes start to caramelize.
- When the tomatoes are finished cooking, carefully move the pan contents into a large saucepan. (At this point you will have a layer of the most delicious olive oil coating your pan. Be kind and share some with the soup, then take the leftovers and slather over a piece of crusty bread, or a finger.) Add ¾ of the chicken stock, butter and bay leaves. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer for fifteen minutes. Puree with an immersion blender if you own one, or puree in batches in a blender. You want to puree until the soup is smooth and the tomato skins are no longer visible. Return the soup to the pot. Add the cream if you are using and then adjust the consistency with more chicken stock. I usually do not add any more stock. Garnish in each bowl with a few of the chopped basil leaves and a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese.
- Serve with fresh mozzarella grilled cheese sandwiches.