TOMATO BISQUE WITH CROUTONS AND CHEESE

TOMATO BISQUE WITH CROUTONS AND CHEESE image

Yield 8 bowls

Number Of Ingredients 22

16 - 1/2" thick French bread baguette slices
Olive oil
1/4 C plus 2 T unsalted butter
2 large tomatoes, chopped
1 carrot, peeled and coarsely chopped
1 celery stalk, coarsely chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
28 oz can crushed tomatoes with puree
3/4 C tomato juice
3 T tomato paste
2 T golden brown sugar
1/4 t white pepper
1/2 lb mushrooms, sliced
1/2 T chopped fresh parsley
1/2 t chopped fresh oregano or pinch of dried, crumbled
1/2 t chopped fresh basil or pinch of dried, crumbled
1/2 t chopped fresh thyme, or pinch of dried, crumbled
1 C whipping cream
2 C (about) chicken broth
4 oz mozzarella, shredded
8 thin slices provolone cheese

Steps:

Preheat oven to 400 F. Place bread slices on heavy large cookie sheet. Brush both sides of bread with oil. Bake until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Cool. Melt 2 T butter in heavy large saucepan over low heat. Add half of chopped tomatoes, carrot, celery,and half of chopped onion and cook 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add garlic and saute 2 minutes. Mix in crushed tomatoes, tomato juice, tomato paste, sugar, and pepper. Cover and cook over low heat 1 1/2 hours to develop flavors, stirring occasionally. Cool tomato mixture slightly. Puree in batches in blender. Set puree aside. Melt remaining 1/4 C butter in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add remaining chopped tomatoes, remaining onion, mushrooms, parsley, oregano, basil, and thyme and saute until vegetables are tender, about 8 minutes. Mix in tomato puree and cream (soup will be very thick). Add enough stock to thin to desire consistency. Cook until heated through, stirring frequently. Cover and refrigerate. Rewarm before continuing. Preheat broiler. Ladle soup into 1 1/2 C ovenproof soup crocks. Top each with 2 croutons. Top with mozzarella and provolone. Broil until soup bubbles and cheese melts, watching carefully, about 1 minute. Serve hot.