spicy, roasted tomato soup

Fall back comforts. Last Sunday at 2:00 AM, daylight savings time came to an end. We set our clocks back one glorious hour. And while 60 additional minutes may not seem like much, for me it’s like finding a forgotten $20 in an old wallet. A welcome occurrence by any measure.

Falling back is one of those traditions that I would describe as comforting. For one day I can grab life’s remote and hit pause to sleep in, catch up on some reading, take the dogs for a long walk or simply do nothing…even if it’s only for an extra hour.

It’s the same kind of comfort I get from familiar recipes. And seeing as I had a bonus hour at my disposal, I thought why not spend it making one of my favorite comfort foods – tomato soup.

Like setting the clock back when leaves give up their green for a blazing orange, red or yellow, tomato soup has a sense of unfailing nostalgia to it.

It’s dependable. Inviting. And uncomplicated.

Each spoonful sends a trickle of warmth throughout my body, inviting me to have another.

As you might suspect, it can be prepared eight ways to Sunday. And on this particular Sunday, I thought a little heat (both in temperature and flavor) would be a welcome twist. So I cranked up the oven for a good ol’fashioned roasting.

The list of ingredients is rather short. Tomatoes, one onion, a shallot, several cloves of garlic and a jalapeño (for a spicy kick). Simply drizzle the lot with a little olive oil and balsamic vinegar then roast until everything caramelizes. Oven roasting brings a whole new dimension to the party, giving the soup a heartier, rustic flavor.

In fact, it’s the kind of comforting flavor that I love falling back on time and again. Just like how I love falling back every first Sunday in November.

The Ingredients:

For roasting

• 6 medium-sized tomatoes, rinsed and sliced in half (remove the hard stem part from top)
  
• 1 onion, peeled and sliced into 3 thick rounds
• 1 large shallot, peeled
• 3 – 4 large cloves of garlic, skin on
  
• 1 jalapeno, rinsed
  
• Olive oil
• Balsamic vinegar
• Salt
• Pepper

For the soup

• 2 cups chicken stock
• 2 tablespoons butter
• ½ cup heavy cream or half & half
• Salt
• Pepper

 

The Method:

 

1. Pre heat oven to 425º F.
2. Place vegetables on baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Drizzle them with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Salt and pepper to taste.
3. Place in oven and bake for 35 – 40 minutes, until vegetables have lightly browned and carmalized.
4. When vegetables have carmalized, remove from oven and allow them to cool completely.
5. Working in small batches, puree cooled vegetables and juices in blender or food processor and transfer to a stock pot. The garlic will be soft, simply squeeze it out into the blender and discard skin. NOTE – if you prefer a mild spice, use only ½ of the roasted jalapeno or cut it open and remove the seeds.
6. Add chicken stock, stir to combine and bring to a gentle boil.
7. Reduce heat and allow soup to simmer for about 20 or so minutes.
8. At this point, taste and adjust seasoning to taste.
9. Whisk in butter until it melts then slowly whisk in cream or half & half and let simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
10. Serve topped with thyme croutons (cubed bread tossed in olive oil then dusted with crushed thyme and baked until golden brown) and/or topped with parmesan cheese.