Ingredients
- Roasted Tomatoes
- 12 plum tomatoes, cut into halves
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt and pepper
- Soup
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 3 whole cloves garlic, peeled
- 1 large onion, peeled and diced
- 5 carrots, peeled and sliced
- 2 ribs celery, sliced
- Roasted plum tomatoes
- 6 sun dried tomatoes, packed in oil
- 6 cups vegetable or chicken stock
- 3 cups tomato juice
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
- 2 1/2 cups cooked white rice
- 4 dashes Worcestershire sauce
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 1/2 to 2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese
- Croutons, for garnish
Preparation
Step 1
For the roasted tomatoes: preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Place the tomatoes in a small roasting pan. Toss with the olive oil, salt, and pepper. Place in the oven and roast for 50 minutes, or until the skins look wrinkled but the tomatoes retain their shape.
For the soup: in a stockpot melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, onion, carrots, and celery. Sauté for 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the roasted tomatoes and continue to sauté for 5 minutes. Add the sun dried tomatoes, stock and tomato juice.
Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium. Simmer, covered, for 30 minutes. Add the basil. Puree the soup in the pot using a hand blender or working in batches with a regular blender until smooth. Place the soup back into the pot if using a regular blender. Add the rice and season with Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper. Stir so that the rice is evenly distributed throughout the soup. Sprinkle each serving with cheese and croutons.