soup's on

i have to admit that i have been in a bit of a blogging rut. i cook during the day for my wages, i cook at home, i teach cooking classes, i blog about food, and then i involve my recreational time towards reading about, exploring and cooking food. this food engulfed practice has left me a bit burnt out, or frazzled- i'm not sure which. i love food. i love being completely absorbed in the culinary world in some form, all of the time. this said, i've been thinking a lot about balance. the fragile balance of life. life seems to be one big juggling act, and keeping everything tilting, and hurling through thte air, and spinning in harmony is really my everyday challenge. metaphorically, i have of coarse, compared this circus performance to a pot of soup. throw all of life's factors into a pot, a few dashes of this, more salt, and hugs and bang- soup's on. yeah, i like thinking about life as soup. it seems fitting, especially since it seems as though the clouds could release some rain or snow anytime now. perfect soup weather. so let's talk soup.

today i morphed out of my slump. and when i morph, i morph. i made two soups today, trying to please the array of soup eaters here in cook county. a creamy, herby roasted local tomato soup was first. then, inspired by a case of wisconsin grown, white sweet potatoes i started combining flavors. poblano peppers, roasted sweet corn, fresh sage, cumin, and black beans made for the second hearty soup. there is something energizing about excitedly cooking soup, or excitedly cooking anything for that matter. you get a bit of pep in your step- like you've just downed a whole lot of coffee, but without the caffine crash. i was rejuvinated as i perfected my dicing skills, toasted spices, and ultimately got lost in the making of soup. maybe it was the mini vacation i've been waiting for! anyway, in lue of "the art of tomato cookery" class i'll be teaching later tonight at the co-op, i'll share the roasted local tomato soup recipe. play around with the varieties of tomatoes, the fresh herbs you can get your hands on, and focus on balance. the acidity of the tomatoes go great with say- creamy, salty, and tangy- blue cheese or chevre would be a great finish for the soup. you don't have to make this a creamy soup either. the condensed flavors of the roasted tomatoes stand on their own. a garnish of fresh herbs would do the trick too!

Roasted Tomato Soup:

2 large onions, julienned
5 # tomatoes (any variety), roughly halved and chopped
5 cups vegetable or chicken stock
1 pint of heavy cream
2 cups half and half
1/4 cup sherry
sea salt and black pepper to taste

combine the onions in a large bowl with 1/4 cup olive oil and a sprinkling of sea salt and black pepper. spread the onions on a baking sheet and roast in a 425 degree oven until browned and toasty-roasty.

combine the tomatoes in a large bowl with 1/2 cup olive oil, 1/4 cup roughly chopped garlic, a sprinkling of sea salt and pepper, and fresh chopped thyme and rosemary. spread the tomatoes on a baking sheet and roast in a 425 degree oven until browned and the juices start to condense.

remove the onions and the tomatoes form the oven and combine in a stock pot. pour in the stock and bring the mix to a simmer, and simmer until the onions and tomatoes are happy together- about 15 minutes. add the sherry and another sprinkling of fresh herbs. allow to simmer a few more minutes.

turn down the heat, and add the cream and half and half. with a hand held blender, puree the soup as little or as much as you'd like. taste, and add more salt and pepper if needed. ladel into bowls and garnish as desired. belly up!!