Fun Fact!
Did you know that until this here recipe for tomato soup I had only had it once before in all my 34 years? Well it’s true and I really only had about 3.25 spoonfuls before I probably used some unsavory words and tossed the rest. Ugh, it was horrible.
I guess I should rewind for a minute. I don’t really know why I hadn’t tried before that unpleasant first experience. I liked tomatoes, I liked tomato sauce and I liked ketchup. True, maybe some (my mom) would say I was a tad fussy about certain things. On Taco nights I wouldn’t eat the shell, salsa or cheese and the meat could not be too spicy. I was served bland ground beef and shredded lettuce in a bowl for years. I loved taco night! Anyway, maybe my eating habits caused my mom to not bother with the hassle of figuring out what about tomato soup needed to change in order for her youngest child to eat some.
Lets fast forward to my first attempt. I just started college. I was living on my own in a new city. You know how it is, everyone gets a little crazy in college. That’s how I ended picking up a can of tomato soup during my grocery shopping . “I’m an adult now, I’m sure I’ll like it”. Oh man, how foolish youth can be? Well I headed back to the dorms, heated it up in the community kitchen and as I stated before, gagged, used some colorful language and wasted my precious money on a vile soup. “Never again” I said! Well maybe I didn’t say that but I’m sure I shook my fists in the air vowing revenge. No? oh, well then I probably just went to the dining hall and stocked up on cereals that I could take back to my room.
Lets fast forward to present day shall we. Since that terrible day I never attempted tomato soup again. I’m not very fussy about trying new foods now so maybe tomato soup would be different somehow? Maybe it’s changed? Maybe I’ve changed. Maybe this is getting a little weird just to tell you about some soup I made that was quite good! Yes, I enjoyed a tomato soup on my second ever attempt. Oh man, the roasting of the tomatoes is where I think this soup gets its gold star. And for the kicker, it has cheese, bread, avocado and sour cream! It’s almost like a real taco! No? I’m being told it is nothing like a real taco. Well, whatever it is like I enjoyed it immensely and I think you will too.
Roasted Tomato Soup with Cheese & Toast
serves two
adapted from Smitten Kitchen
ingredients
4 Plum Tomatoes, halved lengthwise
3 Garlic Cloves, peeled
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
Kosher Salt & Pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried Thyme
2 Cups Chicken or Vegetable Stock
2 1-inch slices from a baguette, toasted
1/2 cup grated cheese – I used Colby Jack but you use what you like
1/2 avocado, diced
2 dollops of sour cream
Preheat oven to 400 degree. Place halved tomatoes, cut side up on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and salt and pepper them. Wrap garlic cloves in a tin foil packet and add to baking sheet. Roast until tomatoes are tender, about 1 hour. Let cool slightly.
Add roasted tomatoes, garlic cloves and any juices on the baking sheet to a food processor or blender and pulse until a chunky puree. Transfer to a pot and add thyme and stock. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer and cook, uncovered for about 25 minutes. Turn off heat and add salt and or pepper if needed.
To assemble soup: Preheat oven to 350 degree. Place two oven proof soup bowls on a baking sheet. Divide soup into two bowls. Place toasted bread slice on top of each and add 1/4 cup of cheese to each. Place in oven until cheese is melted and a little browned at the edges, Yum! About 20 minutes. When cheese is ready, remove from oven, add a dollop of sour cream to each soup and diced avocado on top. Dig in and enjoy!
Crazy good but I still think this soup is bananas good!
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