Heirloom Tomato Soup

Summer is winding down, and we can't think of a better way to send-off the season than with this deliciously easy tomato soup. Made with luscious ripe heirloom tomatoes, this creamy soup is sure to be a favorite in your house!

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 90 minutes
Yield: 4 servings

Roasted Tomatoes:
3 lbs heirloom tomatoes
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper

Soup:
1 sprig rosemary
1 sprig thyme
1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
1 small onion (diced)
3-4 cloves of garlic
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1/3 cup heavy cream
salt & pepper (to taste)
basil (garnish)

Preheat oven to 450°F.  Prep the tomatoes by coring and slicing them in half, so that they are all about the same size.  Toss in olive oil, salt and pepper and spread evenly (skin side down) on a baking sheet.  Roast in the oven for 30 minutes until they are soft and the tomato skins start to brown.

In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat.  Add the onions and cook until translucent, then add the garlic and cook another 2 minutes.  Add the roasted tomatoes (and all the juice from the baking sheet!) to the saucepan.  Break up the tomatoes with a spoon, and stir until the tomatoes, onions and garlic are well mixed.

Add the chicken broth and herbs, and bring the mixture to a boil.  Reduce the heat and simmer for another 30 minutes.

Remove the herb sprigs, and transfer to a blender.  (If you have an immersion hand blender, that works great for this as well!)  Puree to a smooth consistency and pour the soup back into the saucepan.  Add the heavy cream, and simmer for another 5 minutes.  Salt and pepper to taste, and garnish with fresh basil!

Creamy heirloom tomato soup paired with a toasted ham and cheese sandwich on sourdough bread - yum!