Fire-Roasted Tomato and Eggplant Bisque

A satisfyingly smoky, meatless soup from Diane Rossen Worthington's cookbook, "The Taste of the Season: Inspired Recipes for Fall and Winter".

• Ready In: 35 mins
• Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 1⁄4 cup olive oil
• 1  medium onion, finely chopped
• 1  medium carrot, finely chopped
• 1  celery rib, finely chopped
• 3⁄4 lb  peeled and diced eggplant (about 1/2 medium or 3 Japanese eggplant)
• 2  garlic cloves, minced
• 2  tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 (14 1/2ounce) cans  fire-roasted diced tomatoes with juice
• 1⁄4 cup tomato paste
• 1  teaspoon sugar
• 3  cups  vegetable stock or 3  cups  chicken stock
• 1  tablespoon  balsamic vinegar
• 1  cup milk or 1  cup half-and-half
•  salt
•  white pepper
• 1⁄2 cup crouton (preferably cheese or garlic)

Directions

1. In a medium soup pot heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot and celery and cook for 4-5 minutes or until the vegetables begin to soften. Add the eggplant and a pinch of salt and continue to sauté another 5 minutes or until the eggplant is very soft. Add the garlic and cook for a minute or until slightly softened.
2. Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and continue to cook over low heat for 2 minutes or until the flour is thickened and incorporated into the vegetables, stirring constantly. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar and stock and bring to a simmer on medium-high heat.
3. Partially cover the pan, reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes or until the vegetables are cooked and all the flavors are well blended. Remove from the heat. With a hand blender blend the soup until it is roughly pureed with some texture remaining. Add the vinegar and return the soup to medium heat and cook for 2 minutes. Add the milk, stirring to combine, and cook another minute. Add salt and pepper and taste for seasoning.
4. Ladle the soup into soup bowls and garnish with a few croutons.