Roasted Tomato Soup

the soup was a bit like a spaghetti sauce, but not in a bad way. great way to use up some tomatoes. i didn't measure by weight since these came from grandma's garden, i used 8 med-large tomatoes. the soup was good, exactly what i want from tomato soup, but needed a little extra dried thyme and basil at the end. i didn't bother straining it because the seeds don't bother me. whole house loved this one.

Roasted Tomato Soup (Ness 413 via http://savoryseasonings.blogspot.com/)

3 LB tomatoes
3 TBSP olive oil
Salt
Pepper

1 cup onions, medium chopped (or 1/4 cup frozen caramelized onions)
2 garlic cloves, minced

1 (28 oz.) can diced tomatoes (optional)
4 cups chicken broth
Thyme (fresh or dried)
1 cup packed fresh basil, finely chopped (can substitute with dried basil in a pinch)

1 cup milk or half and half (optional)


Heat oven to 400° F. On a baking sheet, combine the tomatoes and 2 TBSP of the olive oil, then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss the ingredients to coat evenly and spread them in a single layer. Roast the tomatoes until they are shriveled with brown spots (about 50-75 minutes).

In a large pot, heat 1 TBSP of olive oil over medium heat. Sauté onions until they are softened, then add the garlic and sauté briefly making sure to not burn the garlic. Add the canned tomatoes with their juice, the broth, thyme, basil and the roasted tomatoes (including any liquid on the baking sheet). Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce and simmer partially covered for 40 minutes.

Using a food processor or blender, puree soup until it is smooth. Then push soup through a sieve or strainer to remove all pulp and seeds. Return the soup to the pot and stir in the milk or half and half. Season to taste with additional salt, pepper, thyme and basil. Warm the soup over medium heat, stirring often and taking care not to let the soup boil. Freezes well.