Fall is here!!! Pumpkin beer, butternut squash, apple cider, campfires, leaves turning, sweaters and so many great things. It is my second favorite season but only because my birthday is in the Spring. Now that the weather is starting to cool down, I get to start experimenting with soups and stews but I always start off with a classic–tomato soup. And grilled cheese always goes perfectly with tomato soup.
Soup Ingredients:
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 yellow onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 28 ounce can peeled whole tomatoes
4 cups chicken stock
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup basil, chopped
1-2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
Soup Directions:
Heat olive oil over medium-low heat in a large pot. Add onions and season with Kosher salt (about 1 tsp). Cook the onions, stirring occasionally, until translucent and starting to turn golden brown, about 10-12 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute,
Stir in the tomatoes and chicken stock. Season generously with Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Bring the soup to a boil, then lower heat to maintain a simmer for at least 15 minutes.
Blend soup mixture using an immersion blender or carefully transfer soup to a blender. If using a blender, return mixture to the pot.
Stir in the cream and basil and blend again with immersion blender (no need to transfer back to blender if you don’t have an immersion blender). Let mixture simmer for another 15 minutes.
Place soup in bowl and top soup with freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Top with any basil you have leftover.
Grilled Cheese Ingredients:
2 Jarlsberg cheese slices
2 cheddar cheese slices
1 tablespoon butter
2 slices sourdough bread
Grilled Cheese Directors:
Butter both sides of bread. Slightly toast one side of bread and then flip over. Add cheese with Jarlsberg on one side and cheddar on other and let melt about 3-4 minutes.
Put both slices together and brown to your preference.
Food for Thought:
-Salting the onions is key to making sure the soup is salted.
-An immersion blender is key to making soups at home.
-I always recommend buttering and slightly toasting one side of the toast (it helps melt the cheese faster).
Fields of Food 