Life has been filled with just a few too many trials lately. To help me shake off this mood, I need to cook up some comfort. So I’m going back to my roots: a classic American combo, but prepared in a whole new way. This very grown-up version hardly resembles the Campbell’s tomato soup and grilled American cheese of my childhood. The soup’s flavor is intensified by first roasting the tomatoes and then simmering them in chicken stock with onions, garlic and a pinch of red pepper flakes for heat. A piquant salsa verde adds a bright and biting contrast to the deep umami of the soup. And there’s no better companion than a grilled cheese sandwich–but not just any grilled cheese sandwich. Thick slices of rustic sourdough bread are slathered with buttery onion confit, layered with peppery arugula leaves and shavings of an almost stinky aged English cheddar, and then grilled until toasty. Serve the oozing sandwiches and bowls of rich soup with a creamy farmhouse ale to wash it all down…I swear I’m feeling better already!
Roasted Tomato Soup with Salsa Verde and
Grilled Cheddar & Onion Confit Sandwiches
You won’t believe how much the flavor in this soup is influenced by roasting the tomatoes first–you almost don’t need to worry about finding perfectly ripe ones to start with. The heat of the oven caramelizes the sugars in the tomatoes and intensifies them in a way that brings a new dimension to this soup. I chose a combination of plum and campari tomatoes, but feel free to use whichever tomatoes look best in your market right now. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Halve the tomatoes lengthwise and lay them out, cut side up, on lined baking sheets. Season them lightly with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper and drizzle with olive oil. Roast for 45 to 50 minutes, rotating pans midway.
In a dutch oven or soup pot, melt butter and olive oil over medium heat. Add chopped onion and sauté until translucent, about 8 minutes. Add chopped garlic and a pinch of red pepper flakes and season lightly with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until golden.
Add roasted tomatoes and any accumulated juices to the pot.
Stir in chicken stock–preferably homemade, but low-sodium store bought will work as well.
Add a few sprigs each of thyme and basil and bring to a boil. Turn down the heat and simmer the soup for 20 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Use an immersion blender to purée the soup until smooth (if you don’t have one, transfer soup in batches to a blender or food processor instead). Bring back to a simmer to heat through. Taste and adjust the seasoning, if needed.
This Salsa Verde comes together in a flash, but adds so much flavor to the the soup. Roughly chop garlic cloves and add to the bowl of a blender or mini chopper. Pulse until finely minced.
The mixture should come together as a thick puree: taste and adjust seasoning, adding a hit of fresh lime juice. Set aside until ready to serve.
Onion Confit is also a very simple component to make, but the bonus is you’ll have plenty leftover to use in other sandwiches or to serve with cheese. Begin by halving and then thinly slicing Spanish onions.
Add chopped garlic to the pan and cook for 3 or 4 more minutes. Pour in red wine and turn up the heat to medium high. Stir in a couple of thyme sprigs.
Lightly brush the outside of the bread slices with extra virgin olive oil.
Serves 4:
Roasted Tomato Soup:
3 pounds ripe tomatoes
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
olive oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium Spanish onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, chopped
pinch of red pepper flakes
1 quart chicken stock, preferably homemade
3 or 4 sprigs of thyme
3 sprigs of basil
Salsa Verde:
6 garlic cloves
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves
1/4 cup fresh parsley leaves
1 tablespoon thyme leaves
1 small seeded hot pepper, or pinch of red pepper flakes
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons Sherry vinegar
1/2 to 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
juice of 1/2 lime
Onion Confit:
3 pounds Spanish onions
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon sugar
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 cup red wine
2 or 3 thyme sprigs
Grilled Cheddar & Onion Confit Sandwiches:
rustic bread, preferably sourdough, thickly sliced
extra virgin olive oil
Onion Confit
arugula leaves
1/2 pound aged English Cheddar, shaved