Roasted Tomato Basil Soup

Soup is my “go to” for lunch. Roasted tomato basil is my favorite – not a cream or a consommé, but a purée with just enough little tomato bits left in to make it a hearty, yet light meal, and always served with an extra cheesy grilled cheese. I can make a pot for the week, and it just gets better every day.

• 15 -20 plum tomatoes – cut in half lengthwise
• Olive Oil enough to lightly coat the tomatoes
• salt and pepper
• 1 yellow onion chopped
• 1 leek – white and pale green parts only – chopped
• 3 cloves of garlic minced
• 2-3 tbs unsalted butter
• pinch of red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper
• 28 oz carton Pomi crushed tomatoes
• 1 quart Chicken Stock ( preferably homemade)
• 1 handful of fresh basil (you can leave the stems on because you run the soup through a food mill) – plus extra for garnish
• 1 fresh bay leaf
• 3 thyme sprigs
• 1 tbs sherry vinegar
• Crumbled feta to garnish
• Avocado sliced to garnish

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly coat halved plum tomatoes with olive oil, salt and pepper. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet and roast about 45 minutes.

In a stock pot, sauté onion, leek, thyme and red pepper flakes in butter until fragrant and begin to caramelize. Add garlic and cook until fragrant 1-2 minutes. Seasopn wiyh salt and pepper. Add carton of tomatoes, basil, chicken stock and roasted tomatoes. Bring to a boil and simmer uncovered about an hour. Pass through a food mill. Garnish with crumbled feta cheese, fresh basil and avocado.