Pat's Tomato Basil Bisque With Roasted Garlic

Here's a recipe I created by morphing several recipes I was able to find on the internet for tomato basil soup, tomato bisque, and roasted garlic soup. (Note: I totally omit the cream. After cooking and then processing, the coup has a nice thick consistency that doesn't really need to be thickened more- or the added calories. Simply omit the pressing of the soup through the sieve and the addition of the step nine: Heat the oil and butter in a large saucepan until foaming.)

• Ready In: 1 hr 25 mins
• Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 1  head garlic
• 1⁄2 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1  tablespoon olive oil
• 2  tablespoons butter
• 1  medium onion, finely chopped
• 2  lbs plum tomatoes, ripened and roughly chopped
• 3  cups  vegetable stock
• 1⁄2 cup dry white wine
• 2  tablespoons sun-dried tomato paste
• 1⁄2 cup fresh basil, shredded and loosely packed
• 2⁄3 cup  light cream
•  salt & freshly ground black pepper

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Remove loose, papery skin from garlic, leaving heads intact.
3. Place garlic on a sheet of heavy-duty foil; drizzle with 1/4 teaspoon olive oil and sprinkle with a pinch of salt and pepper.
4. Loosely wrap foil around garlic, folding foil edges securely.
5. Roast until garlic has softened, about 40 minutes, then transfer to plate.
6. Open carefully and discard foil; let garlic cool.
7. Separate garlic into cloves.
8. Squeeze soft garlic from each clove into a small bowl; set aside.
9. Heat the oil and butter in a large saucepan until foaming.
10. Add the onion and roasted garlic. Cook gently for about 5 minutes, stirring, until the onion is softened but not brown.
11. Stir in the chopped tomatoes, then add the stock, white wine and sun-dred tomato paste, with salt and pepper to taste.
12. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat, half cover the pan, and simmer gently for 20 minutes, shirring occcasionally to keep the tomatoes from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
13. Process the soup with the shredded basil in a blender or food processor, then press through a sieve into a clean pan.
14. Add the cream and heat through, stirring.
15. Do not allow the soup to approach the boiling point.
16. Check the consistency and add more stock if necessary, then season with salt and pepper.
17. Pour into heated bowls and garnish with basil.
18. Serve at once.(Can also be frozen and served later.).