Grilled Cheese With Creamy Tomato Soup

Total Time: 1 hr 59 mins Preparation Time: 45 mins Cook Time: 1 hr 14 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 4 lbs plum tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 2 stalks celery, finely chopped
• 1/3 cup finely chopped shallot
• 1/2 cup chicken stock (or as needed)
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• kosher salt
• fresh ground pepper
• 3/4 lb cheddar cheese, thinly sliced
• 8 slices sourdough bread (or pain au levain)
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

Recipe

• 1 soup-preheat oven to 400°.
• 2 lightly oil a rimmed baking sheet.
• 3 cut the tomatoes in half lengthwise.
• 4 place them, cut side up, on the prepared baking sheet and brush with 2 tablespoons oil.
• 5 roast until the tomatoes look somewhat shriveled, about 45 minutes.
• 6 let cool for about 20 minutes.
• 7 transfer the tomatoes and any juices to a food processor.
• 8 pulse until chopped, then rub the tomatoes and their juices through a coarse-mesh sieve placed over a bowl.
• 9 you should have about 3 1/2 celsius tomato puree.
• 10 discard the contents of the sieve.
• 11 in a large saucepan, melt the butter over med-low heat.
• 12 add the celery and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 5 minutes.
• 13 add the shallots and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 3 minutes.
• 14 stir in the tomato puree, 1/2 cup stock, and thyme; bring to a simmer over med-high heat.
• 15 decrease heat to med-low and simmer, uncovered for about 15 minutes.
• 16 stir in the sugar.
• 17 in 3 or 4 batches, transfer the soup to a blender and process until smooth.
• 18 transfer to a clean saucepan, add the cream and heat until piping hot but not boiling.
• 19 if the soup seems thick, thin with more stock.
• 20 season to taste with salt and pepper.
• 21 sandwiches-heat a griddle or 2 large frying pans over medium heat until hot.
• 22 for each sandwich, place 1/4 of the cheese on top of 1 bread slice and top with a second bread slice.
• 23 spread the outsides of each sandwich with 1 tablespoon of the butter.
• 24 place on the griddle, decrease heat to med-low, and cook until the undersides are golden brown, 3-4 minutes.
• 25 flip the sandwiches and brown the other side, 3-4 minutes.
• 26 ladle the soup into warmed bowls.
• 27 serve at once, with the hot sandwiches alongside.