Roasted Tomato Soup

Ingredients

• 2 pounds of Roma tomatoes, halved lengthwise
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
• 1/2 cup heavy cream, optional

Directions

1. Heat your oven to 400ºF (200ºC).
2. Slice the tomatoes across the middle and press out the seeds. On a baking sheet, coat them with the olive oil and garlic, then add salt and pepper. Arrange each tomato with the cut side facing the pan, and roast for 20 to 30 minutes, until they are very soft and the undersides are starting to darken.
3. In a saucepan, combine the water or stock with the roasted tomatoes, garlic, any pan juices, and the thyme or savory. Warm everything through, then let it simmer for 10 minutes. Take the pan off the heat and cool the mixture to room temperature, then blend the tomatoes with the water or stock and the sugar. If you want to pause here, you can chill the tomato soup for up to 2 days.
4. For the corn salsa, heat the corn kernels in a skillet with the olive oil until they soften a little, about 2 minutes. If a grill is handy, you can char the corn that way instead. Transfer the kernels to a bowl, then stir in the diced tomatoes, onions and peppers, along with the chopped chile, parsley, chili powder, the juice of 1 lime, and some salt. Mix it all together and taste, adding more lime juice and salt if you think it needs them.
5. Reheat the soup in a saucepan, then ladle it into bowl and spoon a generous mound of the corn salsa into the middle. Get the soup nice and hot before serving, because that pile of salsa will cool it down a bit.