Resolutions...

Ok so I’m fasting which means I’m living on nothing but liquids for the next week.  I don’t have to suffer it too bad though because this soup is so packed with flavor; it’s one of things that make your inside feel as good as how your outside will look when you've lived on this for a while.

Enjoy!

Tomato Soup

• 2 pounds, medium plum tomatoes, halved lengthwise
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 4 shallots, chopped
• 1 stalk celery, diced
• 1 small carrot, diced
• 1 to 2 heads of garlic tops removed.
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 4 cups low sodium chicken stock
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
• 1 can low sodium petite diced tomatoes
• 3 tablespoons chiffonaded fresh basil leaves

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Arrange tomatoes, and garlic flesh side up, on a baking sheet. Lightly drizzle the tomatoes and garlic with EVOO, and season with salt, fresh cracked pepper. (Chef’s note: roasting the garlic on the tomatoes turns the garlic sweet and oh so yummy.)

Roast in the middle rack of the oven until tomatoes are brown and tender, about 1 hour. Cool slightly.

Add about 2 tablespoons of EVOO in 4-quart saucepan over medium heat. Sauté the shallots, celery, and carrot for 2 minutes until soft, then mix in tomato paste for a few more minutes. Add chicken stock, and bring up to a boil then reduce heat to low and let simmer for 10 minutes. Mean while remove the garlic from their skins.  (Add as much garlic as to taste, me I like a lot.  Any leftover schmear on some bread and eat that latter but first) add the roasted tomatoes to the pan.

Puree with a hand blender. Add cayenne pepper, petite diced tomatoes, season with salt and pepper. Return to stove and cook for 5 more minutes. Ladle into serving bowls and serve with basil and maybe a nice melty grilled cheese sandwich if you wanna throw the diet out the window.  Hey I don’t judge.