Roasted Tomato Soup

I've been sick, and I feel like shit.

It's wrong that anyone should be ill at this gorgeous time of year, in this gorgeous city.

But--

I defy convention.

The point is, I made some special soup yesterday. Soup for the soul. Because my soul needs a lot of comforting when it doesn't feel good.

Tomato soup is gorgeous. Ideally it is eaten with a blisteringly hot, grilled cheese sandwich. (When I was little I thought that grilled cheese was actually girl cheese. I also thought that cheese burgers were pronounced cheese boogers. But that's probably more than you wanted to know.) Of course, because I wanted a grilled cheese, we had no bread, so I simply ate the soup with some shredded Guyere. And for dessert ate a pear.

And then, I still felt sick, but also, comforted. Which is really the whole reason for ever eating soup in the first place.

Roasted Tomato Soup

from Gourmet Today

Note: The recipe says to strain the tomatoes, which I really don't have time for, so I just when ahead and pureed them.

4 pounds tomatos, halved lenghtwise

6 garlic cloves, left unpeeled

3 tablespoons olive oil

salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 medium onion, finely chopped

1/2 teaspoon dried organo, crumbled

2 teaspoons sugar

3 cups chicken stock or store-bought reduced-sodium broth OR vegetable broth

1/2 cup heavy cream

Put a rack in middle oven and preheat oven to 350 F. Arrange tomatoes cut side up in one layer on a large baking sheet. Scatter garlic around tomatoes. Drizzle tomatoes with oil and sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.

Roast until tomatoes are browned around edges but still juicy, about 1 hour. Cool in pan on a rack then peel garlic. Melt butter in a 6-to 8-quart heavy pot over moderately low heat. Add onion, oregano, and sugar and cook, stirring frequently until onion is softened, about 5 minutes. Ad tomatoes, garlic and stock, bring to a simmer, and simmer covered, for 20 minutes to allow flavors to blend.

Puree soup in batcches in a blender (use caution when blending hot liquids), then pour througha fine-mesh sieve into cleaned pot, pressing on solids;discard solids. Stir in cream and salt and pepper to taste and simmer for 2 minutes. Serve, preferably with a grilled cheese sandwich.