NerdsWithKnives: It just keeps snowing so my husband and I have been craving some of our childhood favorite comfort foods. I love using Mascarpone cheese in creamy dishes because it has such a rich flavor but cream cheese works just as well.
The soup is really tasty but the Garlic Butter Cheese Toasts were pretty much the best tasting thing we’ve ever made.
Ingredients
Makes 12 cups of soup and 12 cheese toasts
*2 tablespoons (30ml) extra-virgin olive oil
*2 tablespoons (30g) unsalted butter
*2 medium yellow onions, chopped (1 pound; 455g)
*4 medium cloves garlic, chopped (about 1 tablespoon)
*1/2 cup (55g) roughly chopped sun-dried tomatoes, drained of oil
*1/4 cup (30g) all purpose flour
*6 cups (1.4L) homemade or boxed low sodium chicken or vegetable broth
*2 (28oz, 830ml) cans whole peeled or crushed tomatoes
*1 tablespoon (20g) honey
*2 teaspoons (1.5g) fresh thyme leaves (or 1 scant teaspoon dried)
*Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
*6 tablespoons (3oz, 85g) Mascarpone cheese or cream cheese
*1/4 cup (1g) thinly sliced fresh basil, chives, or dill, optional for garnish
For Roasted Garlic Butter Cheesy Toast
*1 tablespoon (15ml) olive oil
*2 heads garlic
*1 cup (4oz, 115g) grated sharp cheddar cheese
*1 cup (4oz, 115g) grated gruyere cheese
*3 tablespoons (45g) unsalted butter, room temperature
*1/2 teaspoon (3g) kosher salt
*1/2 teaspoon (1g) freshly ground black pepper
*1 crusty baguette loaf, cut on a sharp angle, into 12 slices (about 1 1/2-inch thick)
*2 tablespoons (.5g) chopped parsley, basil or chives
Method
1) For Soup: In an enameled (non-reactive) 5- to 6-quart soup pot or Dutch oven, heat oil and butter over medium heat until butter foams. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are soft and translucent but not brown, about 8 minutes. Add garlic and sun-dried tomatoes and cook for another 2 minutes. Add the flour and cook, stirring for 2 minutes. Stir in broth, canned tomatoes (crush lightly with spoon if using whole), honey, thyme, and 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, stirring often. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes. Let cool briefly and then purée with a stick blender, or in two or three batches in a standing blender or food processor. Return soup to the pot, if necessary, and turn heat to low. Add mascarpone cheese and stir until melted and fully incorporated. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
2) For garlic toast: Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line a baking tray with foil or parchment. Remove loose papery outer skin from garlic bulbs, but don’t separate cloves. Cut off top of garlic bulbs, exposing ends of individual cloves. Place both heads of garlic, cut side up, onto a square of foil and drizzle with a half tablespoon of oil on each. Tightly cinch up the foil and roast for 30 to 40 minutes until heads are light brown and very soft. Set aside until cool enough to handle.
3) Squish roasted cloves out of the skins into a medium bowl. Add cheeses, butter, salt and pepper. Mix until combined.
4) Switch oven to broil and place rack 5 to 6 inches from heat. Evenly spread the cheese mixture onto bread slices. Place slices on lined tray, cheese-side up and broil until cheese is melted and browned in spots, about 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from oven, scatter with herbs and serve with soup. In a sealed nonreactive container, tomato soup will keep up to 1 week in the refrigerator or 6 months in the freezer.
calschelken: 🤤🤤🤤
morganeisenberg: You are so talented.
hntr16: looks tasty
chrism226: This combo, although I haven’t made yours (yet), is an all time favorite!
leyaroo: That looks so good!
knickssss: I know honey tends to impart a distinct flavor in a dish that sometimes is unwanted or unnecessary. Have you tried using sugar? If so, what’s the reasoning for using honey instead of sugar (I’m assuming honey was added to balance the acidity)?
BecomingToBe: This belongs in /r/foodporn.
