Recipe: Roasted Tomato and White Bean Soup

ROASTED TOMATO AND WHITE BEAN SOUP

5 Roma tomatoes, cored, halved lengthwise and seeded
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1 onion, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
1/2 cup red wine
1 (48 ounce) can reduced-salt chicken broth
1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
1 (19 ounce) can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained well
1 ounce Parmesan cheese, grated (about 1/4 cup)

Preheat oven to 475 degrees F.

Arrange tomato halves, cut-side down, on baking sheet coated with vegetable oil spray. Brush tomatoes lightly with oil, then sprinkle with thyme and basil. Roast tomatoes for 15 to 20 minutes, until edges are charred.

Meanwhile, in stockpot, saute onion and garlic in butter over medium heat until tender. Add flour and toss well. Cook 1 minute, stirring.

Add red wine and deglaze pan, scraping up any flour that sticks to bottom of pan.

Whisk in broth and tomato paste, stirring until smooth. Bring soup to boil, then simmer 10 minutes. When tomatoes are roasted, scrape off of baking sheet, including any charred bits, and process briefly in food processor until nearly smooth with small chunks remaining. Add roasted tomatoes to soup.

Put beans in food processor with ladle of soup and process briefly, until similar consistency to roasted tomatoes. Add to soup; stir well. Simmer soup 10 minutes.

Serve soup with cheese on the side.

Makes 4 servings
Source: Kelly Watts to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, November 9, 2000