Roasted Tomato Soup With Fresh Herb Oil And Croutons

Total Time: 1 hr Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 2 (28 ounce) cans whole canned tomatoes
• 3/4 cup water
• 3/4 cup chicken stock
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
• 1/2 cup finely chopped shallots (use onion for pasta sauce) or 1/2 cup yellow onion (use onion for pasta sauce)
• 3 teaspoons sea salt (to taste) or 3 teaspoons kosher salt (to taste)
• 1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
• 1 cup fresh parsley or 1 cup fresh basil
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 3/4 cup canola oil
• 2 cups crusty bread, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 pinch cayenne
• salt and pepper
• 1 pinch cumin (optional)

Recipe

• 1 the soup: preheat oven to 425°f spread oil over the bottom of a shallow.
• 2 baking dish and pour in tomatoes and juices. mix in shallots and salt and pepper and drizzle the top with olive oil.
• 3 cook for 35 – 45 minutes or until juices have thickened and slight charring has occurred. let cool slightly, then blend in a food processor or pass through a food mill using the finest disk. roasting seems to soften the seeds to where they are barely noticeable, so, unless you want a very smooth texture, using the processor is certainly acceptable. correct seasoning and, if the flavor is too sharp or acidic, whisk in additional olive oil until flavors balance.
• 4 fresh herb oil: place all ingredients into a blender and blend on high for 20 – 30 seconds. use immediately or cover and refrigerate for up to 4 days (oil will separate with storage but comes together easily when whisked).
• 5 for the croutons: heat oil and garlic cloves over medium heat in a medium sauté pan.
• 6 when oil shimmers, add bread, tossing to coat with oil. sprinkle on remaining ingredients and cook, tossing frequently, until golden. discard garlic.
• 7 to serve: reheat soup and blend with a whisk. drizzle with herb oil and serve with croutons on the side.