Simple Roast Tomato & Garlic Soup With Mini Cheese Fingers

~Deux Petits Chefs!'s Note:

A simple and elegant take on the classic tomato soup. This is for those who do not fancy the 'fake' and 'canned' taste of normal tomato soups. It's simple to make and just needs a little time or prep. Best of all, it is vegetarian. Zipped up with roast sweet capsicum (to sweeten the typically tart tomato), smoothened with tender roast garlic and the surprise herb is coriander (cilantro), it adds a different dimension to an otherwise bland and one dimensional soup. You can switch to basil if you like and use fried garlic instead of roast garlic, but the taste will vary slightly. Serve hot with mini cheese sandwiches to dip or cold with a dollop of cream, yoghurt or sour cream.

• Total Time: 1 hrs 45 mins
• Prep Time: 45 mins
• Cook Time: 1 hrs

Ingredients:

Servings: 4

• 1 whole head of garlic , halved to expose yellow interior
• 1 medium onion , sliced
• 1 teaspoon butter
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 2 teaspoons of mccormick mixed Italian herbs (or use a pinch of rosemary, basil & thyme)
• 1 teaspoon dried chili pepper flakes (If desired, substitute to red pepper flakes)
• 4 large tomatoes , quartered
• 1 cheek red capsicum , halved
• ¼ cup baby spinach
• ¼ cup of chopped coriander
• 0.5 (15 ounce) can tomatoes
• 4 cups chicken stock
• 3 tablespoons cracked black pepper
• 3 tablespoons salt
• ¼ cup mozzarella cheese or ¼ cup gruyere cheese
• 4 slices white bread

Directions:

1. Firstly, preheat oven to 200 degrees celcius/400 fahrenheit.
2. Prepare the roast tomatoes, capsicum and garlic by mixing 1/2 of the olive oil stated above with 1 tsp of Italian herbs. Coat everything well.
3. Transfer to a aluminum foiled baking tray, spread all the ingredients evenly in a single layer and ensure capsicum skins are facing upwards to prevent interior from burning and bake for 45 minute.
4. In a large pot, add the rest of the olive oil and butter. Cook onions until soft.
5. Add in chilli flakes, coriander and spinach. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for 5 - 8 min or until onions are soft and browned slightly but not burnt.
6. Add in 1/2 a can of tomatoes. Stir for another 10min or so to allow ingredients to blend and permeate.
7. Add in chicken stock and cover. Stir occasionally. Let it reach to a soft boil.
8. Once tomatoes, capsicums and garlic in the oven has been baked, remove from oven and set aside to cool for 10min.
9. Now pop out heads of garlic from the halved garlic, pop into blender together with tomatoes and capsicums with a good pinch of salt and pepper and pulse until slightly chunky.
10. Take mixture and pour into soup. Stir well.
11. Cover and let cook for another 10 - 15 minute.
12. (For Cheese Sandwiches) On a large grill, toast slices of bread until light brown.
13. Add cheese, crack of salt and pepper, and grill until golden brown. Press toast slices cheese facing together and flip to other side to grill the whites brown. Or if you have a sandwich press, just make a regular cheese sandwich and press.
14. Slice into fingers. Serve with Tomato soup. Garnish tomato soup with a dollop of cream, sour cream or yoghurt.