Roasted Heirloom Tomato and Basil Bisque

This recipe is for my all-time favorite soup in the winter when the snow has been falling for months, and I've become desperate for a fresh taste of a Michigan summer!  Tip: make a double batch to delight in some now, and freeze the rest.

Diet: Vegetarian (for the Vegan version, use vegetable stock instead of chicken stock, and omit heavy cream)


Yield: 16 cups (this is a double-batch recipe)

INGREDIENTS
8 pounds heirloom tomatoes, of 5+ varieties
4 carrots
3 medium red onions
6 cloves garlic
1/2 cup packed chopped basil leaves
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
4 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade
1 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons tomato paste

2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

FOOD SOURCE

Heirloom tomatoes: various vegetable farms in West Michigan, including my backyard

Carrots, Garlic, Basil: Ingraberg Farms, Rockford

Red Onions: Visser Farms, Hudsonville

Heavy cream: Hilhof Farms, Hersey


METHOD
1. Wash and quarter all tomatoes. Spread them across two baking sheets. 
2. Cut carrots and red onions into large chunks and spread across the two baking sheets along with the tomatoes. 
3. Add three peeled, whole garlic cloves to each baking sheet.
4. Pour 1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil along with one teaspoon of kosher salt and one-half teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper onto each baking sheet, and then hand-toss each batch to evenly coat all vegetables with oil and seasoning. 
5. Roast for 45 minutes in preheated oven at 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
6. When vegetables are done roasting, transfer them to soup pot on stove. Include all roasting juices. 
7. Add chicken stock, tomato paste, sugar, and basil and bring to boil. Allow to boil for ten minutes. 
8. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly. 
9. Use either an immersion blender or food mill to puree soup (a blender will render a smooth, creamy consistency and a food mill will render a chunkier texture). 
10. Once pureed, add cream and incorporate well.


To serve, garnish with freshly julienned basil and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.


Pair with Heirloom Tomato Grilled Cheese for a knock-out locavore grilled cheese and tomato soup!