Perfect comfort food for a chilly day
INGREDIENTS
SOUP
-1 tbs olive oil
-1 28 oz can of crushed tomatoes
-3 carrots, diced
-1 onion, diced
-3 pieces of celery, diced
-2 cloves of garlic, diced
-2 tbs tomato paste
-4 cups chicken broth
-1/4 cup red wine
-1 tsp dried oregano
-1 tsp dried basil
-1/2 cup butter
-1/2 cup flour
-1 cup grated parmesean cheese
-1 cup half and half (or whole milk)
-Salt and peper to taste
-1/4 cup fresh basil
CROUTONS
-Slices of your favorite cheese
-2 tbs butter
-Sliced multigrain bread
DIRECTIONS
-Add oil to a soup pot and heat. Once hot add carrots, onion, celery, and garlic and sauté for a few minutes.
-Add crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, broth, wine, oregano, and dried basil. Bring to a light boil and cook for a few minutes until the veggies are tender.
-Ladle soup into the blender (or blend in the pot with an immersion blender if you have one) and puree until it reaches your desired texture. Add it back to the pot.
-In a seperate pot make a roux by melting butter on medium low heat then adding the flour and whisking until the roux is golden brown in color.
-Add a ladle of soup to the roux, it will form a thick paste. Add a few more ladles of soup and stir until it is smooth. Add the roux mixture into the soup pot and stir.
-Add parmesean cheese, half and half, salt, pepper, and fresh basil. Cook a few minutes until it is warmed through
-For the grilled cheese put butter on two pieces of bread. Add to a hot pan butter side down and top both sliced with cheese. Cover with a top.
-Once the cheese begins to melt flip on slice of bread onto the other to form a sandwich. Cook until crispy then flip and do the same on the other side.
-Slice the grilled cheese into cubes and put them on a lined baking sheet. Put them under the broiler on low for 2 minutes to crisp them up.
Ladle soup into a bowl and top with croutons and more fresh basil if desired. Enjoy!
chef grc 