ROAST TOMATO BISQUE

     The cold weather makes for lots of time hanging out indoors.  I fight off the boredom and the cold weather by preparing a nice soup.  This soup also makes the house smell homey.

     I adapted this recipe from a soup at Howley's diner in West Palm Beach, FL.  The chef that prepared this every week, Ernst, is amazing with any soups, gravy, or sauces.

ROAST TOMATO BISQUE

5 -6 tomatoes, whole (Roma)

1/2 onion, chopped big

2 Tbl shallots, chopped

2 cloves garlic

2 cups chicken broth (or any homemade broth)

1 cup half and half

tsp thyme

3 Tbl cornstarch (for thickening)

Tbl dried basil (or 2 Tbl fresh basil, minced)

sprinkle sea salt and white pepper

Roast the tomatoes, onions, shallots, and garlic on  a sheet pan in a 400 degree oven. Bake for 20 minutes, turning the tomatoes after 10 minutes. Remove the hard skin on the garlic, then mash it with a fork.  Cut the tomatoes into bite sized pieces, carefully saving the juice.

In a soup pot, bring the broth to a slow boil.  Add the thyme and basil, simmer while preparing the tomatoes.

Place tomatoes, smashed garlic, onions, and shallots into simmering broth.  Add the cream, bring back to a simmer.  Add the salt and pepper.  Combine cornstarch with 3 Tbl water.  Slowly whisk the cornstarch mixture into the soup. Soup will thicken as it begins to simmer. Taste. Remove from heat. Serve with crusty bread, toast, or a grilled cheese sandwich.