(light!) Creamy Roasted Tomato Soup

Yes, it's the end of August and the thermometer is still up there.  The thought of soup might not be the first thing you scream you want to have in the middle of the work week.  I would only assume that you don't have a garden full of hundreds of tomatoes that cannot be eaten by salad alone.  We have a really beautiful assortment of heirlooms, San Marzano and roma tomatoes, and I will not stand to see these little beauties go to waste.

This recipe is adapted from Slender Kitchen, and I adjusted it to feed our large party of 7 here at the house.  I have to say, this is one of the very, very few things I can make and absolutely everyone will eat it.  Even the hubby (who is disgusted at the thought of canned tomato soup) loves this really satisfying soup.

***UPDATE***  This soup went from YUMMY to plain RIDCULOUS this past week.  Rather than roast the tomatoes for 1hr at 400degrees.  I roasted them for SIX hours at 275 degrees.  They were magical.  The soup was a more concentrated burst of sweet, tomato flavor and even the color was deeper and richer.  I made the tomato base with the garlic, pureed them and put them in a container until I was ready to make the soup two days later.
You can stick with an hour, but if you have the time - please try the six hour roast.

(light!) Creamy Roasted Tomato Soup

Ingredients:

4 lbs assorted fresh tomatoes, sliced in half lengthwise
1 tbsp olive oil
Whole head of garlic
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
5 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup half and half

Instructions:
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees while you cut the tomatoes.
2. Toss the tomatoes in the olive oil, salt and pepper. Cover a pan sheet with foil and spread the tomatoes out evenly, with the cut side facing up. 

4lbs will take up the entire baking sheet

3.  Pour a few drops of olive oil on top of the garlic head and rub it all over.  Wrap the head tightly in a small piece of foil.  Place on the baking sheet with the tomatoes..
4. Roast for 1 hour. Remove from the oven and let cool for 10-15 minutes. 

5. Add the tomatoes and any juice from the baking sheet into a food processor. Squeeze out the roasted garlic in to the food processor. Blend until smooth.
6. Add the tomato mixture into a large pot. Add the red pepper flakes, half and half and broth. Let simmer for at least 30 mins.

7.  Taste for seasoning and serve.

Serving options: 

• Try topped with some parmesan cheese or blue cheese
• Add some Tabasco sauce for extra kick

Sorry - no finished soup pic to share!  It was gobbled up too quickly...Dad even had FOURTHS!

 

Don't worry little tomato...you will not go to waste!