Roasted Tomato Soup with Halloumi Croutons
—Not On Website, Soup
Ingredients
3 pounds ripe tomatoes, halved and cored ( if small, ok to leave them whole)
1/2 large red onion- thinly sliced into thin rings
4– 6 garlic cloves- whole
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves or oregano ( or 1 teaspoon dried)
1/3 cup oil
4 cups broth -veggie or chicken
¼ cup fresh chopped basil leaves (or cut into ribbons)
salt and pepper to taste
½ –1 cup plain greek yogurt, sour cream, heavy cream or a drizzle of olive oil.
Halloumi croutons:
1 6-8 ounce block halloumi cheese- (available at trader Joes, upscale supermarkets, international markets) cut into ¾ inch cubes.
1 tablespoon oil
Directions
Preheat oven to 425 F
On parchment or foil-lined sheet pan, spread out tomatoes ( cut side down), onions, and garlic. Sprinkle with the thyme, drizzle with oil and give a good toss. Roast for 25-30 minutes, or until onion is tender and tomatoes have just begun to caramelize at their edges.When done, remove from the oven and let cool for 5-10 minutes.
While the tomatoes are roasting, cut the haloumi into small 3/4 inch cubes. Pat dry. Heat a tablespoon of oil in a skillet over medium-high heat and sear the haloumi on two sides, until golden, not over crowding and turning heat down if necessary. Place on a paper towel-lined plate.
When the tomatoes are cooled, blend them along with all their flavorful juices from the tray, using a blender, with the cold stock, working in small batches. Or use an immersion blender. Blend until creamy and smooth. Place in a pot, over low heat, add salt and pepper to taste and bring to a gentle simmer. Stir in basil (saving some for garnish). Simmer for 10 minutes until soup reduces a bit and flavors meld.
Swirl in ½ cup yogurt to the pot of soup. Taste and adjust salt. Add more yogurt ( or sour cream or heavy cream) if you prefer a creamier soup. (To keep this vegan, a drizzle of good olive oil is nice, and obviously leave off the haloumi.)
Serve soup in bowls, with a little swirl of yogurt. Top with a few haloumi croutons and garnish with basil or scallion or chives.