Roasted Tomato Soup with Grilled Cheese

Ingredients

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• 12 tomatoes, cut in half
• 2 red bell peppers, cut into quarters
• 2 whole heads garlic, cut in half
• 2 celery ribs, cut into quarters
• 2 onions, cut into quarters
• Olive oil, for drizzling
• 2 tbsp salt, adjust to taste
• 2 tbsp butter
• 5 fresh basil leaves
• 2 cups water, or broth of choice
• ½ cup heavy cream
• Black pepper, to taste
• Sourdough bread
• American cheese
• Mozzarella cheese
• Butter, for the pan

Method

1. 1

   Preheat your oven to 400°F.

2. 2

   Arrange the tomatoes, bell peppers, garlic (cut side up), celery, and onions on a large baking sheet. Drizzle everything generously with olive oil, making sure all the vegetables are lightly coated without soaking them. Sprinkle with the salt.

3. 3

   Roast for 45 minutes, or until the vegetables are soft and lightly caramelized.

4. 4

   Transfer the roasted garlic to a large pot by squeezing the cloves out of their skins. Add the butter and sauté over medium-low heat for about 5 minutes, stirring constantly so the garlic doesn't burn.

5. 5

   Add the roasted vegetables and basil leaves to the pot. Blend until completely smooth using an immersion blender, or carefully transfer everything to a blender.

6. 6

   Stir in the water or broth and the heavy cream. Mix well, then taste and adjust the seasoning with more salt if needed. Add black pepper to taste.

7. 7

   For the grilled cheese, butter the outside of each slice of sourdough. Fill with American and mozzarella cheese, then cook in a buttered skillet over medium heat for about 5 minutes total, flipping halfway, until the bread is golden and crispy and the cheese is melted.

8. 8

   Serve the soup with a drizzle of heavy cream and a few basil leaves for garnish. Pair with the crispy grilled cheese and enjoy.