Roasted Tomato Bisque with Roasted Garlic Saffron Aoili and French Bread Rusks and Olive Tapenade

1-15oz.Tomato Puree

1 small can Tomato paste

1 cup sliced Sun dried Tomatoes in olive oil

1 1/2 lbs. Roma or grape tomatoes, Roasted in 375 degree oven, toss halved tomatoes and seeded (no need to halve/seed grape tomatoes) in olive oil salt and pepper, to taste . Bake until caramelized.

4 tablespoons butter 1/4 cup olive oil

1 large onion , chopped

5 cloves garlic, minced

2 stalks celery, diced

2 carrots, peeled and diced

2 leeks, white part only, sliced

2 parsnips peeled and diced

1 quart chicken or vegetable stock

1 large sprig Fresh thyme

2 cups fresh basil, chiffonade-reserve a few leaves for garnish

salt/pepper, to taste

2 oz. balsamic vinegar

In large soup pot, saute onions and leeks until translucent with butter and olive oil. Add the garlic, carrots, parsnips, celery and saute until just tender. Pour in chicken stock and add thyme sprig and simmer until vegetable are soft. Add all tomatoes , balsamic vinegar and basil, simmer for 1 hour. Salt and pepper to taste and remove thyme stems. With a blender , blend soup until thin. Return to pot and keep heated.

Olive tapenade

I don’t measure anything for this recipe. This is the list of what I use. Mix and add your favorites.

Marinated Artichokes, drained

Basil

whole garlic cloves

Pine nuts, toasted

Mixed olives such as kalamata, black , green etc..

Parmesan cheese

Onion

Anchovies

capers

roasted red peppers

Olive oil

I place all the above in a food processor and blend until smooth. Add as much olive oil to create nice consistency.

Saffron Aioli

1 head roasted garlic

1/2 tsp saffron or tumeric

3/4 cup sour cream

2/4 cup mayonnaise

Squeeze out roasted garlic from head and blend into all the ingredients, blend well.

1 baguette, sliced and toasted

Ladle soup into bowls and top with Saffron Aioli  and place rusks spread with tapenade around edge of bowl.

Tomato Garbanzo Soup with Rosemary

2 -15 oz. cans garbanzos, drained and rinsed

4 tablespoons olive oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

2-3 inch long rosemary stems, leaves removed-stems discarded

2-2o oz. cans diced tomatoes in juice

pinch of sugar

1 tsp kosher salt

pinch of fresh ground black pepper

4 cups chicken stock

In a soup pot add olive oil and garlic and cook over low until fragrant. Add the tomatoes, chicken stock, rosemary leaves and 1 can drained and rinsed garbanzos. Bring to simmer and simmer 20 minutes. Remove from heat and puree in blender until smooth. Place back into the soup pot and stir in the remaining garbanzos and heat through.

Roasted Tomato-Spinach Soup

12 Roma tomatoes, sliced in half

1 red onion, diced

1 large head roasted garlic

2 cups sourdough bread crumbs, day old

1 1/2 cups baby spinach

1 cup fresh basil

1 1/2 cups chicken or vegetable broth

1 Parmesan rind

salt and pepper , to taste

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil, set aside.

Place the halved Roma tomatoes on the baking sheet; drizzle with olive oil and toss until coated. Place in oven and roast tomatoes until they caramelize. Remove from oven and scrape into a dutch oven. Squeeze out the roast garlic from the head and add to the tomatoes. Add the remaining ingredients. Over medium heat cook at a simmer until flavors marry and onions or softened. Remove the Parmesan rind. Using a blender or stick blender, process the soup until smooth. Serve garnished with a sprig of basil and drizzle of olive oil.