Ingredients
The following ingredients have 4 Servings
- 2 quarts cherry tomatoes
- stemmed
- 2 large shallots
- thinly sliced
- 1 bulb garlic
- cloves crushed and peeled
- About 3 tablespoons thyme
- picked
- About 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO)
- Salt and pepper
- 1 quart chicken or vegetable stock
- A small handful of torn basil
- ¼ to ½ cup heavy cream or crème fraiche
- optional
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO)
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 clove garlic
- crushed
- ½ cup honey
- 1 round tablespoon Calabrian chili paste or harissa
- 8 slices good-quality white bread
- ¾ pound sliced cheese
- such as Provo/provolone
- mozzarella
- or fontina
Instruction
- Preheat oven to 400˚F
- Arrange about 12 tomatoes in a deli container lid cap, cover with a second lid and halve them with the swipe of a sharp knife
- Or, halve tomatoes with small paring knife individually
- Arrange tomatoes, shallots, garlic, and thyme evenly on 2 rimmed baking sheets and coat each tray with about 2 tablespoons EVOO and season with salt and pepper
- Roast 30 to 40 minutes until slumped and brown at edges a bit
- Place stock in a pot and bring to a low rolling boil
- Add tomatoes and a small handful of torn basil, then puree with an immersion blender
- Reduce heat to low and add heavy cream or crème fraiche to taste, if using
- Melt EVOO and butter together with garlic
- Combine honey and chili paste
- Baste hot honey on one side of 4 slices of white bread, add cheese and another slice of bread
- Brush the outward facing sides of cheese sandwiches with garlicky EVOO-butter, then grill in hot skillet over medium-low to medium heat until golden and melted
- Serve with the soup
