It’s 35F outside, but feels like 25F yet unbelievably windy and freezing. In this weather anyone would unanimously crave for one thing, a bowl of hot soup…

It’s Friday evening and I am excited to welcome the weekend. I thought I should make this weekend special with some special cooking. So I drove out for a quick grocery shopping.

The weather has been less crazy for the last couple of weeks, but the snow is still there now turned into ice on the sidewalks and almost everywhere. I don’t know what I was thinking while I had my high heels on. It was really scary walking on the sidewalks with the heels. Each step I placed pretty cautiously to avoid any slipping and thus creating a funny scene for the people out there. If something had happened my fall would have qualified for “America’s funniest videos”. Anyway, I am safe and still kicking more than before.

After coming home, I demanded a bowl of soup to myself. I had no other choice but to obey my boss. I started making the soup.

During the winter, soups have been my cozy comrade. A bowl of warm soup gave me the feeling of summer, at least to my mind :)

When making the soup, I first oven roasted the veggies – tomatoes and carrots (after seasoning them with olive oil, ground pepper, basil leaves and salt). Then pureed the roasted veggies and cooked slightly with chicken stock. Finally, I finished it with heavy cream.

When I had a sip of this hot soup, I pictured myself on the beach, sun bathing ;)

Roasted Tomato-Carrot Soup

Ingredients:

  • Tomatoes, halved-4
  • Carrot, cut into wedges-2
  • Garlic, chopped- 1 1/2 tsp
  • Basil leaves- 2-3 no’s
  • Ground pepper- 1/2 tsp
  • Olive oil- 2 tbsp
  • Chicken stock, low sodium-1 1/2 cups
  • Bay leaves, fresh or dried-2
  • Parsley, dried- 1 tsp
  • Heavy cream- 1/2 cup

Preparation:

  • Preheat oven to 450 F.
  • On a baking sheet, place the halved tomatoes, cut carrots and season them with olive oil, garlic, basil leaves, ground pepper and salt.
  • Give the veggies a stir and put them in the oven.

  • Roast them for 15-20 minutes.

  • Let cool for sometime and puree the roasted veggies in a blender.
  • Heat a wide pan over medium heat, pour the pureed veggies into the pan.
  • Add bay leaves, chicken stock and let come to a boil.
  • Finish the soup with heavy cream and parsley, heat for few seconds and remove from the heat.

  • Discard the bay leaves from the soup.
  • Serve the soup in bowls and enjoy with croutons.

Tips:

  • You could make this soup just with the tomatoes.
  • Healthy version: add fat free heavy cream and water instead of chicken stock.
  • For vegans: Substitute vegetable stock for chicken stock.
  • For a fancy presentation: I served this soup in a tomato itself, cut the top of the tomato and scoop out the flesh from it and pour the soup in this bowl.
  • PS: This soup served in a tomato is not enough to fill your craving, you will definitely ask for more.