Roasted Tomato Black & Tan Soup

This was a demonstration recipe at Charlotte Anne Albertson's Cooking School (Wynnewood, PA), for "Awesome Soups with Brian Duffy" (Jan 24, 2006). Brian Duffy (http://www.chefduff.com) hosted the Food Network shows "Date Plate" and "Hot Trends 2005" and is executive chef at Shanachie, an Irish restaurant in Ambler, PA. This will make 3/4 gallon soup, enough for 12 8 oz servings. All I can tell you is that this is a lovely change from the usual tomato soup and has a richness (courtesy of the roasting) and a yeastiness (courtesy of the beer) that no other soup delivers.

• Ready In: 1 hr
• Serves: 12

Ingredients

• 10  tomatoes, roasted and charred
• 2  white onions, roasted and charred
• 2  carrots, roasted and charred
• 2  bay leaves
• 1  quart heavy cream
• 1⁄4 gallon water
• 2  teaspoons salt (to taste)
• 2  teaspoons pepper (to taste)
• 1⁄4 lb flour
• 1⁄4 lb butter
• 1⁄4 cup brown sugar
• 12  ounces dark beer (see directions for brand recommendations)
• 12  ounces beer (light but NOT lite! (see directions for brand recommendations)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Season the vegetables.
3. Slice the bottom (root) off the onions. Slice the stem end off the tomatoes and score the top (cut an "X") so the tomato can expand.
4. Place on a roasting pan and roast until dark (35-40 minutes).
5. For a darker, more flavorful soup, let the vegetables begin to char.
6. Make a white roux: melt the butter in a sautee pan on medium heat, then add the flour, mix and stir, until the flour cooks but retains a light color (about 5-7 minutes).
7. NOTE: You may not need to use all the roux. You can freeze it for use some other time.
8. In a large stock pot (should be able to hold more than 1.5 gallons) mix the heavy cream, water, brown sugar, and beer. Bring to simmer -- DO NOT allow the liquid to boil.
9. Add vegetables.
10. Puree the mix, preferably with an immersion blender in the stock pot. If you need to use a stand blender, put in small batches (no more than 1/3-1/2 the volume of the blender container), so you don't send hot liquid all around and burn yourself.
11. Choose the consistency you'd like: for a puree, leave as is; for a bisque, strain through cheesecloth or use a chinois (metal strainer).
12. With the soup back in the stockpot under heat, add the roux gradually and stir, watching for the soup to thicken.
13. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
14. Serve and enjoy!
15. Recommendations for beer: DARK -- Guinness is preferred, for authenticity and flavor, but any really dark beer will do. LIGHT -- Harp will give you authenticity, but is expensive and sometimes hard to get; Yuengling Lager or Sam Adams Lager are good domestic alternatives.