Tomato Soup - Grilled CHeese
By: Giangi Townsend
Published: Thursday, April 1, 2021 - 3:04pm

Ingredients




3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 pounds fresh tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and cut into chunks
8 ounces carrots, peeled and diced (use chop setting on food processor)
2 onions, peeled and diced
5 tablespoons water
4 ½ cups chicken stock
1 garlic clove, peeled and chopped
½ teaspoon sugar
large pinch of saffron
1 tablespoon salt
1 ½ teaspoon black pepper
1 ½ cup heavy cream
2 egg yolks
2 sprigs of fresh thyme
GRILLED CHEESE
12 slices of French country bread
butter
24 slices of cheddar cheese

Preparation

1 Melt butter and olive oil in a large Le Creuset enamel cast iron Dutch oven saucepan. Add the onions and carrots and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add water, simmer for 15 minutes covered until the carrots are tender. 2 Add tomatoes, garlic, thyme, salt and pepper, saffron, chicken stock, and bring to a boil gently. Turn down the heat and simmer for 15 minutes, covered. 3 Allow mixture to cool off a bit, then puree in a blender. (you may have to do it in batches) 4 Pour soup into a clean saucepan and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat. 5 Whip the egg yolks in a small bowl. Stir some of the hot mixtures into the bowl to temper the eggs, gently blend this mixture back into the soup. Stir well, do not boil or the mixture will separate. Check to season and garnish, optional, with chives, thyme or parsley chopped fine. 6 GRILLED CHEESE 7 Slightly butter each slice of bread with butter. Over 6 slices of bread add 2 slices of cheddar cheese. Cover with the other half of the bread. 8 Heat over high heat a large skillet – or griddle. Add some butter and place your bread over it. Lower the heat and turn the grilled cheese over one the cheese starts to melt, and the bread turns a light golden brown. Grill the other side for a couple of minutes.

About

Seasonal fresh tomatoes and carrots are gracing all our farmer’s markets and are the bright light to announce to us that spring is here. Not only are full of flavor, but they also are a great source of vitamin C, potassium, folate, vitamin K, fiber beta carotene, and antioxidants. In a nutshell:  a very healthy recipe for all of us.
The tomatoes and carrots give this soup such a beautiful color.  You are going to love this classic tomato soup! Creamy and yet very light. You can enjoy it alone or you can be paired with a grilled cheese sandwich. Simple and easy to make, it makes a sophisticated starter to any dinner.