Tomato and Basil – What a combo! The perfect match, I imagine them holding hands and skipping off into the sunset. Definitely on the top of the list for my favorite flavor combos. Now add roasted garlic to that and you tick off two items on the list. If your tastebuds have anything in common with mine… then you’re probably salivating, and we’re off to a good start here. Yes, I know. Pre-made or canned soup from the shops is much faster to prepare. But you just won’t be able to get that intense yummy flavor. Canned or pre-made soups are usually quite bland and you end up adding in a whole bunch of stuff just to make it taste of something. That also takes time, so take a bit more and make it delicious. An added bonus is the fact that you know there’s no preservatives added, just the goodness of fresh ingredients.
If you want a lighter version, you could leave out the cream, or swap it out for light coconut cream. If you are like my hubby, and reckon it can’t be called a meal without something meaty, you can add some salami or bacon to your cheese toasties.
Yields: 4 servings
You’ll need:
Measuring cups and spoons
Oven tray for roasting
Electric blender
Medium sized pot
Ingredients:
For the soup:
6 Large Ripe Tomatoes
4 Cloves of garlic
1Tbsp Olive oil
½ c Cream
1c Chicken or Vegetable Stock
2Tbsp Tomato paste
½ tsp Red pepper flakes (optional)
Handful of fresh basil leaves
Salt and Pepper to taste
For the toasties:
8 Slices of fresh ciabatta bread
1c Gouda, finely grated
½ c Plain cream cheese
Method:
Preheat the oven to 180°C. Cut the tomatoes into quarters. Peel the garlic cloves and cut in half. Add the tomatoes and garlic to a roasting tray, drizzle with the olive oil and roast in the oven for 30-40 minutes, until the tomatoes are soft and tender with juices oozing out.
Transfer the roasted tomato and garlic to a medium pot and place the pot over low heat. Add in the tomato paste, chicken or vegetable stock and fresh basil leaves.
Using a stick blender, mix until smooth and well combined. Turn up the heat slightly, add salt, pepper and red pepper flakes to taste and stir in the cream. Simmer for 3-4 minutes, allowing the flavors to merge together.
To make the toasties. Lightly butter each slice. Flip over the slices, so that you’ll end up with the buttered sides on the outside. Spread cream cheese on four of the slices and top with grated cheese. Close the sandwiches and place in the flat press toaster until golden brown and the cheese is fully melted. Serve immediately with a warm bowl of your fresh tomato soup. If you’re wanting to take this up a notch, top your soup with crunchy onion rings, as an alternative to croutons.
This will make a fabulous dinner party appetiser.
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