Roasted Tomato And Fennel Soup

Total Time: 3 hrs 5 mins Preparation Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 2 hrs 45 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 8
• 20 plum tomatoes, fresh vine ripened, newly harvested (about 4 lbs)
• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 4 garlic cloves, smashed
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1 fennel bulb
• 1 onion, chopped
• 4 cups vegetable stock or 4 cups chicken stock
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Recipe

• 1 core tomatoes and cut in half lengthwise; arrange, cut side up, on foil lined rimmed baking sheet.
• 2 in a small bowl, mix 2 tablespoons of the oil, garlic and half each of the salt and pepper; brush over tomatoes.
• 3 bake in 350°f oven until softened and shriveled and bottoms are browned, about 2 hours.
• 4 meanwhile, trim fronds from fennel bulb and reserve; cut off stalks and discard.
• 5 cut fennel in half lengthwise.
• 6 trim out and discard core; cut fennel into 1/2 inch cubes.
• 7 in large saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon of the remaining oil over medium heat; cook fennel, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 8 minutes.
• 8 add 1 1/2 cups water; reduce heat, cover and simmer until very tender, about 20 minutes.
• 9 pour into bowl.
• 10 add 1 tablespoon of the remaining oil into pan; cook onion over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes.
• 11 add tomatoes and stock; bring to boil.
• 12 reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
• 13 transfer tomato mixture to blender or food processor; puree until smooth.
• 14 return to pan.
• 15 stir in cooked fennel, basil and remaining salt and pepper.
• 16 (make ahead: let cool and refrigerate in airtight container for up to 2 days.) heat until steaming, about 5 minutes.
• 17 in bowl, whisk vinegar with remaining oil.
• 18 ladle soup into bowls; garnish with drizzle of vinegar mixture.
• 19 arrange reserved fronds over top.