Your grilled cheese sandwich’s best friend.
Even Owen and Henry can’t seem to get enough of this soup.
Method:
extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
6 fresh thyme sprigs
1 yellow onion, peeled and sliced
1 bay leaf
1.5 c. beef broth (or vegetable broth, if you prefer)
1 28-oz. can whole tomatoes, with juices
8 whole tomatoes
balsamic vinegar
coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Gently warm a few counts of olive oil in a roasting pan or a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the garlic and the thyme and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the onion and bay leaf and cook them for a minute or two more. Hit the pot with the beef broth, the canned tomatoes (along with their juices) and the whole tomatoes. Cover and braise in the oven for one hour.
Remove and discard the thyme and bay leaf. Transfer the remaining solids and liquids to a Vitamix or blender and puree until completely smooth. (You may need to puree in batches.) Transfer the puree to a soup pot and gently simmer. Hit the soup with a bit of the balsamic vinegar and season to taste with coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper.
