Roasting Tomatoes

Though Friday was chilly and perfect for soup, I can't help but feel that I wasted five superb tomatoes on a soup when they would have been devine as a caprese salad (yes, I'm obsessed). I could have used hard, unripe, orange, grocery-store tomatoes on a soup. But if I was to make another soup, I'd make this roasted tomato puree.

Friday evening the apartment smelled like glorious, glorious garlic and tart roasting tomatoes, while I unwound on the couch, beer in hand. It was a busy week of work, and for once, I left feeling completely spent though with some tasks for The Reader still undone. I even managed to not make a complete, horrid mess of our stovetop and kitchen that is miraculously still spotless--I'll blame Megan for that. The tomato sauce did indeed splash all over the floor and counters, but I had a paper towel on hand to wipe it before it dried. Maybe someday I'll get the hang of this clean-as-you-go business. I'm very much a make-a-huge-mess-then-perform-damage-control kind of person, in and outside the kitchen. This soup harkens summer, is roasty, creamy and just awesome. (How's that for stunning prose?) Get ready for loads of soup not that fall is here. Roasted Tomato Soup: from Gourmet
2 pounds tomatoes
6 garlic cloves
olive oil
salt and pepper
1 tablespoon butter
oregano
1/2 white onion, chopped
1/2 cup cream

parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 400. Cut tomatoes in half. Arrange on a baking sheet with unpeeled garlic cloves. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast for 1 hour. Remove from oven and let cool slightly. Peel the garlic.

In a medium saucepan on medium heat, melt butter. Add onions and oregano to saucepan and saute until onions are translucent. Turn down heat and add the whole tomatoes and peeled garlic. Simmer covered for about 20 minutes. Carefully, spoon soup into food processor to puree. Pour pureed soup through a sieve back into the saucepan. On low heat, bring back to a simmer. Add cream (or as in my case, ricotta cheese, which will not incorporate the way you want it to but will still taste awesome) and parmesan cheese. Serve garnished with fresh oregano--if you're fancy enough to have some (which I am). Add parmesan cheese and salt and pepper to taste.