How does your garden grow?

Our tomato vines are fruiting, and so we have an abundance of ripe, red, tomatoes on hand. Desperate to not let it go to waste, I decided to go with my famous roasted tomato and garlic bisque, which was perfect for the small dinner party that we had over the weekend.

I've made this soup a couple of times for events, and it's always performed so well, probably because it's one of the quintessential comfort food items.

I remember the first time I dreamed up the soup. It was in early fall one year, when Heirloom tomatoes were making an unusually long season after a hot summer. I also had just discovered the pleasures of roasted garlic, and was putting the delicious, creamy, caramelized stuff in almost everything. At the time, I was also suffering from what they call "bad kitchen syndrome", which meant that I had only a very tiny electric stove, which never got hot enough. Fortunately, the kitchen came with a little oven which worked quite well. So, to marry the three things together (Heirloom, Roasted Garlic & Oven), I chucked everything in the oven, and 45 minutes later, the perfect tomato soup!

You might not be able to get heirlooms all year round, but regular tomatoes work just as well, and when they come from your own garden - oh yum. Nothing beats that, except if it comes with a grilled cheese sandwich. Butter on both sides please :)

Roasted Tomato and Garlic Bisque

Makes two servings

1 ea Large Heirloom Tomato, or 8 oz equivalent
1/4 ea Yellow onion, preferably vidalia, chopped
1 head Garlic
2 Tbs Olive Oil
1 cup Chicken Stock
1/2 cup Heavy Cream


Salt & Pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 375F
Slice the top of the garlic head and drizzle with 1 tbs olive oil
Wrap the garlic head with foil
Core the tomato/tomatoes and place them in a single layer on a baking sheet
Roast the tomatoes and the garlic for about 40 minutes or until the tomatoes are lightly charred on the outside
While the tomatoes and garlic are roasting, sweat the onions in the remaining olive oil and let the onions brown just very slightly
Squeeze the garlic pulp from the papery skin
Combine the roasted garlic, tomatoes, onions and chicken stock in a sauce pot
Bring to a boil and simmer for about 20 minutes
Puree soup, strain, then add the cream and simmer for another 10 minutes
Season with salt and pepper and serve immediately