Best Cold Tomato Thyme Soup With Grilled Garlic Croutons Recipes

TOMATO SOUP WITH ROASTED PEPPERS, GARLIC AND ONIONS WITH GRUYERE GRILLED CHEESE CROUTONS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
• For the soup:
• Place the onions on a baking sheet and dress lightly with EVOO, and season liberally with the thyme and salt and pepper. Dress the garlic with EVOO, salt and pepper, and then wrap the garlic in foil and fold edges over to secure a pouch. Roast the onions until tender and golden, 30 minutes, turning once. Roast the garlic until very soft, 35 to 40 minutes.
• Char the peppers over an open flame on the stovetop or under a hot broiler (once the onions and garlic are removed). Place the charred peppers in a bowl, cover and cool to handle. Wipe away the pepper skins with a towel. Seed and coarsely chop.
• Cool the garlic to handle, and then squeeze the garlic cloves away from the skins and into a food processor bowl. In two batches, add the onions, garlic, peppers, stock and tomatoes. Puree until fairly smooth. Add the puree to a pot with the passata and season with the herbes de Provence and add the torn basil. Heat the soup through and simmer to thicken a little and combine flavors, about 20 minutes. Adjust the salt and pepper. Cool and refrigerate for a make-ahead meal.
• For the grilled cheese croutons:
• To serve, heat the soup over medium heat and preheat a griddle pan over medium heat. Butter all the bread on one side with the softened butter. Make the cheese sandwiches with the buttered sides facing out. Grill the sandwiches until golden and crisp on each side. Dice into bite-size squares. Serve the soup in shallow bowls and top each with a few grilled cheese croutons.

COLD TOMATO-THYME SOUP WITH GRILLED GARLIC CROUTONS

Steps:

• Heat 4 tablespoons oil in heavy large pot over medium heat. Add onions, carrots, finely chopped garlic and bay leaf. Cover; cook until carrots are tender, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Add tomatoes. Cover; cook until tomatoes release juices, about 10 minutes. Uncover; cook until juices evaporate, stirring often, about 20 minutes. Add broth and chopped thyme. Partially cover pot and simmer until mixture is reduced to 6 cups, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes longer.
• Cool soup slightly. Discard bay leaf. Puree half of soup in blender. Stir into soup in pot. Season with salt and pepper. Chill uncovered until cold, then cover. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep chilled.)
• Prepare barbecue (medium heat). Place smoke chips in 8x6-inch foil packet with open top. Set packet atop coals about 5 minutes before grilling. Brush 1 tablespoon oil over both sides of bread slices. Grill bread until lightly browned, about 2 minutes per side. Rub garlic clove halves over bread. Cut bread into 3/4-inch cubes.
• Divide cold soup among bowls. Top with croutons. Garnish with thyme.