Creamy Roasted Tomato Soup With Grilled Fontina Mushroom Sandwiches Recipes

CREAMY ROASTED TOMATO SOUP WITH GRILLED FONTINA-MUSHROOM SANDWICHES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Place tomatoes in a large baking dish and drizzle with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and sprinkle with the garlic, season with salt and pepper. Roast for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the tomatoes are soft.
• Heat the remaining olive oil in a medium stock pot over medium heat. Add the onions and carrots and cook until the onions are soft, about 5 minutes. Add the roasted tomatoes, garlic, and the juices that have accumulated. Add the stock and fresh thyme and cook for 20 minutes. Place the cream in a small saucepan over medium high heat and cook until reduced by half. Transfer the mixture to a blender and blend until smooth, strain into a clean saucepan over low heat, add the reduced cream, and cook for 5 minutes.
• For the Grilled Fontina-Mushroom Sandwich: Heat olive oil in a large saute pan, add the mushrooms, and cook until golden brown. Season with salt and pepper, and stir in the sage. Brush the bread on 1 side with the butter. Turn 4 of the slices over on a work surface. Divide the cheese among the slices then divide the mushrooms on top of the cheese. Cover with the remaining 4 slices of bread, butter-side up.
• Heat a frying pan over medium heat. Add the sandwiches and cook, turning once, until golden, about 2 minutes per side.

FONTINA AND MUSHROOM CROSTINI

Steps:

• Preheat the broiler.
• Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the cremini, shiitake and oyster mushrooms and saute for 5 minutes. Add the shallots and sweat until translucent. Add the wine and thyme. Cook until the wine has reduced and the pan is dry, about 5 minutes. Remove the thyme.
• Heat a grill pan over medium heat. Grill the slices of baguette until golden brown. Rub the bread slices with the garlic. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt. Place the bread on a baking sheet. Place 1 to 2 slices of cheese on each piece of bread.
• Broil until the cheese is melted, 2 to 3 minutes. Top each toast with 1 heaping tablespoon of the mushroom mixture. Sprinkle with chives.

QUICK CREAMY TOMATO SOUP

Steps:

• Combine broth and tomatoes in a medium saucepan over moderate heat. When soup bubbles, stir in heavy cream and reduce heat to low. Season with a little salt and pepper and simmer gently 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. With an immersion blender, puree soup. Serve bowls of soup with basil chiffonade and floating Soup Toppers.
• Toast bread slices in your toaster until golden. Rub the toasted bread rounds with crushed garlic, if using. Arrange bread on cookie or baking sheet. Drizzle each slice with extra-virgin oil and top with a grind of black pepper and a layer of shredded cheese. Place under hot broiler to melt cheese until toppers are golden brown in color.

CREAMY, MELTY MUSHROOM SANDWICHES

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and garlic and cook until the mushrooms have given up all their liquid and are beginning to brown. Add the onions, shallots and fennel. Cook, stirring, until all the vegetables are softened, about 5 minutes more.
• Add the wine and cook, scraping the bottom of the pan to dislodge any browned bits. Let simmer until the liquid is reduced by half.
• Stir in the cream. Slowly stir in the cheese, stirring until melted. Cook until bubbling and smooth, about 5 minutes. If too thick, add a little more cream or some milk.
• While the sauce is cooking, toast the bread. Place 2 slices of toast on each of 2 plates and spoon the mushroom mixture over top. Garnish with the fresh herbs.

GRILLED FONTINA, MUSHROOM, AND ARUGULA SANDWICHES

Steps:

• Heat 4 tablespoons oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add rosemary and stir 30 seconds. Add mushrooms. Cover skillet and cook until mushrooms are tender, stirring often, about 8 minutes. Season mushrooms to taste with salt and pepper; transfer to plate. Wipe out skillet.
• Arrange 4 bread slices on work surface; spread with mustard, if desired. Top bread slices with cheese, then mushrooms and arugula, dividing equally. Top each with bread slice; press to compact. Brush tops lightly with oil.
• Heat reserved skillet over medium heat. Place sandwiches, oiled side down, in skillet. Brush tops lightly with oil. Cover and cook until golden on bottom, occasionally pressing with spatula, about 5 minutes. Turn sandwiches over. Cover and cook until golden on bottom and cheese is melted, about 5 minutes longer. Transfer sandwiches to plates; cut in half and serve.

CREAM OF ROASTED TOMATO SOUP

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 475 degrees.
• Halve tomatoes lengthwise and lay them cut sides down in a jelly-roll pan.
• Brush generously with 3 tablespoons oil and sprinkle with garlic, oregano, basil, and pepper.
• Roast tomatoes until their edges are charred, about 15 to 20.
• Scrape tomatoes, oil, and herbs from pan into food processor.
• Process until not quite smooth (leaving small chunks and charred black specks).
• In a saucepan cook onion in remaining 2 tablespoons oil until translucent.
• Whisk in roasted tomato puree, broth, and wine.
• Then whisk tomato paste.
• Heat the cream and whisk in to the tomato mixture.
• Taste and add sugar if necessary.
• Stir in optional Parmesan.
• Add salt and pepper to taste and bring soup to a simmer.