Rania's Recipes: Tomato Bisque With Grilled Cheese Croutons
If you like to warm up with a hot soup on these cold winter days, be sure to check out this recipe from Rania Harris!
Tomato Bisque with Grilled Cheese Croutons
- ¼ cup + 1 teaspoon olive oil
- ½ cup chopped yellow onion
- 1 teaspoon chopped garlic
- ½ cup flour
- 3 cups homemade chicken stock
- 4 cups tomato sauce
- 2 cups tomato juice
- 3 cups crushed peeled tomatoes
- ¾ cup thinly sliced (julienned) fresh basil
- 1 cup heavy cream
- Salt and white pepper to taste
- Grilled Cheese Croutons – recipe follows
Heat the olive oil in a heavy stockpot and sauté the onion with the garlic until translucent. Reduce heat and add the flour to make a roux. Continue to cook over low heat for 5 minutes, stirring constantly.
Turn the heat up to medium and add 1½ cups of the chicken stock, whisking constantly. Add in the remaining stock and cook until the mixture begins to boil and thicken.
Reduce heat and cook for 5 minutes to cook out the starchy taste. Add the tomato sauce, tomato juice, chopped tomatoes and ½ cup of the sliced basil. Simmer for 10 minutes.
Skim off any foam that may collect on top. Add the heavy cream. Bring back to a simmer. Taste and season with salt and pepper to taste.
When ready to serve, divide the soup into 8 warmed bowls. Garnish with remaining sliced basil and Grilled Cheese Croutons. Serve immediately.
Serves: 8
Grilled Cheese Croutons
- 4 (1/2-inch-thick) slices country white bread
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 4 ounces Gruyere cheese, grated
Heat a Panini grill. Place the four slices of bread on a cutting board and brush lightly with the melted butter, being sure to butter the corners. Turn the slices over and pile Gruyere on two of the slices. Place the remaining two slices of bread on top of the Gruyere, buttered sides up.
Grill the sandwiches on the Panini grill for about 5 minutes, until nicely browned. Place on a cutting board, Allow to rest for 1 minute and cut into 1-inch cubes.
