Today's project
I'm a soup lover----independent of the season I am up for soup 
About two weeks ago my friend sent me a recipe for tomato soup---and it sounds lip smacking good---so---with the last of the season tomatoes I am making this today:
Creamy Roasted Tomato Basil Soup with Fresh Tomatoes
This recipe makes 3 to 4 quarts of soup. You know me… I always welcome leftovers to freeze!
Ingredients
Approximately 5 pounds of fresh tomatoes – any size or variety works
1 medium to large white or sweet yellow onion
3-4 large carrots
4 stalks of celery
8 cloves of garlic
1 red bell pepper (optional)
1 quart (4 cups) of vegetable broth
1 can of full-fat plain, unsweetened coconut milk. (Do not use flavored coconut milk from a carton, like you may use for cereal of coffee)
Olive oil
1 bunch (½ cup packed) fresh basil leaves, or 3 tablespoons dry basil
½ Tbsp. Italian seasoning
½ tsp cumin
½ tsp paprika
Salt and pepper to taste
Optional seasonings (great, but only if you happen to have them on hand): a pinch each of allspice and coriander
Step 1: Roast the Tomatoes
First, preheat the oven to 425°F. Next, wash and de-stem the tomatoes. Depending on the size of the fruit, cut them into halves, quarters, or sixths. Keep in mind that everything will get blended up later, so the size and shape doesn’t matter much. Go ahead and leave cherry tomatoes whole. Remove any hard center cores around the stem area as needed. Maintain the skins and “guts” intact; those add flavor and nutrients!
Lay out the cut tomatoes on a baking sheet, along with the peeled whole garlic cloves. (Add optional bell pepper here too, de-stemmed and cut into slices.) You may want to line the tray with parchment paper for easy clean-up; roasted tomatoes can get quite messy and sticky! Keep them in a single layer, and place them skin side down as much as possible.
Add a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of salt and black pepper over the top. Finally, place the tray in the oven to roast for approximately 45-55 minutes. (We often make a double batch with two trays, and it takes about 60 minutes – rotating the trays halfway through). The tomatoes should become soft and brown to slightly blackened in some spots.
Step 2: Make a Mirepoix
Like any good soup, this roasted tomato basil soup starts off with a classic mirepoix of onions, carrot and celery. Wash and chop those three, kick on the stove, and add a healthy drizzle of olive oil to the bottom of a stock pot (about 2 to 3 tablespoons). Once the pot is warm, toss in the carrots, celery and onions. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Cover and continue to simmer the veggies over a medium-low heat for about 15 to 20 minutes, or until everything softens and the onions become translucent. Stir occasionally. Remove from heat and set aside (covered) if these are done to your liking before the tomatoes are finished roasting.
Step 3: Combine Everything
Once they’re finished roasting, carefully transfer the roasted tomatoes, garlic, and optional bell pepper (plus any juices from the pan) into the pot of carrots, onion and celery. Stir to combine. Next, add the vegetable broth, coconut milk, chopped fresh basil (or dry), and remaining called-for seasonings: Italian seasoning, paprika, cumin and optional allspice and/or coriander. Allow the mixture to return to a low boil, stirring occasionally.
Step 4: Blend the Roasted Tomato Basil Soup
Use an immersion blender to puree the soup until smooth right in the pot. Or if you don’t have an immersion blender, carefully transfer the roasted tomato basil soup into a regular blender to puree in batches as needed. Use caution – it’s going to be hot!
Finally, give your homemade roasted tomato basil soup a taste-test. Add more salt and/or black pepper if needed. If a thicker consistency is desired, continue to simmer a while longer, allowing the soup to reduce and thicken further.
Step 5: Serve and Enjoy, or Freeze
The soup will be good for about a week in the refrigerator, and up to a year in the freezer (best quality within 6 months). To preserve and freeze extra soup, first allow the soup to cool (we usually let it cool overnight in the fridge) and then transfer it into a freezer-safe containers. Defrost frozen tomato basil soup in the refrigerator overnight, or leave out on the counter for no more than 4 hours before rapidly reheating on the stove.
Can I use canned tomatoes to make homemade tomato basil soup?
Sure, in a pinch you can use canned tomatoes…. although homemade tomato soup made with fresh tomatoes is much tastier IMHO! The standard substitute is to swap 28 ounces of canned crushed tomatoes for every 2 pounds of fresh tomatoes. Since our recipe calls for 5 pounds of fresh tomatoes, you’d use about 70 ounces (or five standard 14-ounce cans) of canned tomatoes instead. If you go that route, I suggest using at least half “roasted” canned tomatoes and half regular crushed tomatoes to get the right flavor profile for this particular roasted tomato basil soup recipe.
I'm waiting for the tomatoes to finish roasting. The mirepoix is done.
I'll report back on the results
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