THICK & CREAMY TOMATO BASIL SOUP WITH PROSCIUTTO, APPLE & GRUYERE GRILLED CHEESE

THICK & CREAMY TOMATO BASIL SOUP WITH PROSCIUTTO, APPLE & GRUYERE GRILLED CHEESE image

Number Of Ingredients 24

Soup:
3 Tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 28oz cans crushed tomatoes
3 cups chicken or veggie stock (homemade is best)
¼ tsp salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
¾ cup heavy cream
⅓ cup fresh basil, minced
1½ Tbsp granulated sugar
.
Sandwich:
2 Tbsp butter
8 slices sourdough bread
4 large slices of prosciutto
8 slices Gruyere cheese
8 slices cheddar cheese
1 granny smith apple, peeled and thinly sliced
.
Optional (to garnish)
Basil, chopped
Parmesan cheese
Sour cream

Steps:

1. Heat olive oil over medium-low heat in a dutch oven or large pot. Once hot, add onion and cook, stirring occasionally until softened, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute, stirring to avoid burning the garlic. Stir in the tomatoes, chicken stock and salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for about 20 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool slightly. Carefully transfer mixture to a blender and puree until smooth. Return mixture to the pot. Stir in the cream, basil and sugar, bring to a boil and let simmer for another 20 minutes until thick and creamy. While soup is simmering, make grilled cheese. Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Place a piece of bread in the skillet and layer with prosciutto, Gruyere, cheddar and apple. Top with another slice of bread, and repeat for all 4 sandwiches. Cook for about 5 minutes on each side until bread has browned and cheese has melted. Serve sandwiches immediately with a bowl of soup, topped with fresh basil, Parmesan cheese or sour cream. NOTES *If you can use homemade chicken or veggie stock, I highly recommend it. It lends so much more flavour to the soup. *If you have an immersion blender, use that to puree the soup instead of transferring to a blender. Less mess, easier, and much more convenient!