roasted tomato basil soup with mozzarella grilled cheese

the cold has arrived in toulouse and with a vengeance. we spent a majority of the fall and early winter enjoying lukewarm, no jacket necessary temperatures. but almost precisely once the clock struck midnight on december 31st, there has been an ever-present chill in the air.

taking full advantage of this change in weather, i've decided to jump on the comfort food train and grace our table and bellies with a classic - tomato soup and grilled cheese.

though similar in execution, this meal was a far cry from the combo of my childhood - campbell's tomato soup from a can and melty, velveeta grilled cheese. i'm proud to admit my tastebuds have matured and now crave more nutritious, less preservative-filled fare.

roasted tomato basil soup

you'll need...

about 3 pounds ripe plum tomatoes, cut in half

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons good olive oil

1 tablespoon gros sel (coarse salt)

1- 2 teaspoons black pepper

2 medium onions, chopped

8 cloves of garlic, finely chopped or minced

2 tablespoons of butter, preferably unsalted

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (up to 1/2 teaspoon if you like the kick)

1 can (about 28 ounces) of canned plum tomatoes, with juice

3 cups fresh basil leaves

1 teaspoon dried thyme 

4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth

then you'll have to...

preheat oven to 400 degrees fahrenheit. toss tomatoes, 1/4 cup olive oil, salt, and pepper together in large bowl. place tomatoes, cut-side up, in a single layer on a baking sheet. roast for 45 minutes.

in a large stockpot, sauté onions and garlic with remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil, butter, and red pepper flakes over medium heat. sauté for about 10 minutes or until onions start to brown. add canned tomatoes, basil, thyme, and vegetable stock. stir and let cook for 1-2 minutes. add oven-roasted tomatoes, including any liquid from the baking sheet. stir and bring to a boil. once boiling, reduce heat and let simmer uncovered for 45 minutes.

the original recipe called for the above mixture to be passed through a food mill with the coarsest blade. our miniature, french kitchen doesn't have that so i used our trusty, auchan-brand blender. simply ladle soup mixture into blender (in batches, if necessary) and puree until you've reached desired consistency.

recipe adapted from barefoot contessa

mozzarella grilled cheese

you'll need...

1 pound mozzarella, cut into thin slices

8 pieces of tasty bakery bread, cut 1/2 inch thick

2 large eggs

1/2 skim milk or natural soy milk

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

1/4 teaspoon oregano

1 teaspoon gros sel

2 tablespoons good olive oil

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

then you'll have to...

place 2 - 4 slices of mozz on 4 pieces of bread and top with remaining bread to form sandwiches.

in a wide, shallow bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, thyme, and salt.

in a large, nonstick pan, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. add butter and cook until foaming and sizzling stops.

dip sandwiches in egg mixture (turning to coat, as needed). place sandwiches in pan and cook for about 2 minutes, until golden brown. flip sandwiches to brown the other side and remove when finished.

repeat process for remaining sandwiches. transfer to plate, cut in half, and start dipping! be sure to serve these immediately to reap full benefits of warm, melty mozz.

recipe adapted from life as a lofthouse