Roasted Tomato Basil Soup

It's tomato season!  Yummy!  Are you looking for an innovative new recipe to use up all those home grown plum tomatoes?  Well you've come to the right place.  This recipe is zippy and fresh and totally delicious. With a side of homemade bread it hit the spot! 

The original recipe inspiration came from Barefoot Contessa and here is her recipe.  I didn't even try to make the original recipe, I adapted it from the get go.  I've been getting better on spotting a good recipe...and boy is this a good one! 

Karin's Roasted Tomato Basil Soup

Ingredients:

3 pounds ripe plum tomatoes, cut in half lengthwise (I also trimmed off the stem end)
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 tablespoon Sea Salt
1 1/2 teaspoons ground pepper
1 whole bunch of spring onions diced
3 teaspoons of minced garlic or 6 cloves minced
1 (28 ounce) can whole tomatoes, with their juices (Bionaturae- has no MSG or citric acid)
2 cups fresh basil leaves- I honesty didn't measure, but I don't think I used 4 cups like the original recipe called for
4 cups Homemade Chicken Stock I use this recipe but without the turnip and I use 1 bunch of spring onions instead of regular onions.  I also use organic whole chicken.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Place fresh plum tomatoes on baking sheet and drizzle with 1/4 cup EVOO, salt and pepper.  Roast for 45 minutes. 

In an 8 quart stockpot over medium heat, sauté the spring onions and garlic with 2 tablespoons of EVOO for 3-5 minutes until fragrant.  Add the canned tomatoes with juice, basil and chicken stock.  Add the oven-roasted tomatoes along with their juices from the baking sheet to the stockpot.  Bring to a boil and simmer for 40 minutes uncovered.  Let soup cool down a bit, and then add to a blender and puree until smooth.  I had to do it in two batches. 

To eat- I prefer mine warm.  Return to stove and reheat until warmed through.  I served mine with a side of toasted bread.  Yummy!

Enjoy!