Cream of Roasted Tomato Soup

Cream of Roasted Tomato Soup

1 1/2 pounds plum tomatoes, quartered
1/4 cup olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup chopped onions
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
1 1/4 cups low sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup creme fraiche, or heavy cream
1/4 cup dry red wine
1/4 cup tomato paste
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon cayenne
2 ounces (about) thinly sliced prosciutto, cut into thin strips
1 tablespoon oil

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Toss the tomatoes with the olive oil, chopped onions, garlic, and herbs and spread the mixture in a single layer in a roasting pan. Roast for 20 to 25 minutes, until the tomatoes start to brown around the edges and their skins begin to shrivel up. Remove from oven and cool for 10 minutes.

Using a food processor or blender, process the tomato mixture until it has a coarse, pureed texture. Stir together the tomato puree, chicken broth, red wine, crème fraiche, and tomato paste and heat it to simmering in a large saucepan set over medium heat. Add the salt and cayenne; simmer the soup, uncovered, for 5 to 10 minutes.

While soup simmers, heat a small skillet over medium-high heat. Add the oil and when it shimmers, add the proscuitto strips. Fry until nicely browned and crisp, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove to paper towels.

Ladle the finished soup into shallow bowls, and serve topped with extra crème fraiche, fried proscuitto and chopped herbs as a garnish.
Served with fontina and gruyere grilled cheese sandwiches.

Makes 4 servings

For each sandwich:
2 slices good white bread
1 ounce each grated fontina cheese and gruyere cheese
1 to 1 1/2 tablespoon butter, softened

Spread one side of each bread slice with butter. Heat a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Place a slice of bread, butter side down, in skillet. Top bread with grated cheese and place the other slice of bread on top, butter side up. Cook sandwich until bread is browned and cheese starts to melt. Flip sandwich and cook the other side of the bread until browned and cheese is melted. Remove from pan and cut in half. Serve with soup.