Tomato Soup and Grilled Cheese Sandwich
 
Makes 4 servings
Ingredients
SOUP
  • 3 pounds ripe tomatoes, cored
  • 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for drizzling
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
  • 2 red onions, finely chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • ½ cup fresh basil leaves
  • 2 teaspoons tomato paste
  • 8 cups vegetable or chicken stock
  • ½ cup heavy whipping cream
  • Ground black pepper, to taste
GRILLED CHEESE SANDWICH
  • 2 cups grated mozzarella
  • 2 cups grated mature Cheddar
  • 2 slices bread per person
  • Butter, softened
Garnish: heavy whipping cream, fresh basil leaves
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°.
  2. For soup: Place the tomatoes in a roasting pan and add balsamic vinegar, olive oil, sugar, and salt. Stir to coat evenly and roast until the tomatoes are beginning to caramelize, 25 to 30 minutes.
  3. In a large pot, heat a drizzle of olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent and fragrant. Stir in the garlic and basil and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute more. Add the tomato paste, roasted tomatoes and any pan juices. Stir to combine, then pour in the stock. Lower the heat, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and purée the soup until smooth. Stir in the cream, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover and keep warm.
  4. For the grilled cheese: Mix the mozzarella and Cheddar together. Place about 1 cup of cheese on half of the bread slices and top with the remaining slices to form sandwiches. Butter both sides generously. Cook in a nonstick skillet over medium heat until the cheese is melted and the bread is golden brown on both sides.
  5. Serve the tomato soup hot, garnished with a swirl of cream and fresh basil leaves, alongside the grilled cheese sandwiches.
Recipe by Louisiana Cookin' at https://louisianacookin.com/tomato-soup-and-grilled-cheese-sandwich/