End~of~Season Tomato Soup | Garlic & Parmesan Roasted Chickpea Croutons
“I devour them in the hand; eat them raw with olive oil, salt and basil; grill them with oregano and garlic~rubbed bread; bake them with goat cheese; and occasionally simmer them as a sauce or soup…But come the first frosts, I shut the door on the tomato. I have learned to live without them for the winter months. Occasionally I pick a few up, normally attached to their vine, hoping for just a shadow of that warm, peppery, herbal hit. Sometimes it is there, the ghost of a summer tomato you have grown for yourself. But more often than not I am disappointed and feel a fool.” Nigel Slater, Tender
We have yet to experience a frost here in the Bay area, in fact, afternoon temperatures have been pushing towards the 90’s these last few days, but despite the warm afternoons the changing light reminds us that the seasons are turning. At the farmers’ market, pumpkins and squash with their golden~orange hues are snatching an increasing amount of table space from the brilliant red fruit of summer…
On my last visit to the farmers’ market, I gave in to overwhelming sense of urgency to indulge in these beautiful summer gems while they are still available and packed my cart with an obscene amount of tomatoes in a variety of sizes and colors. After days of slicing and slipping them into sandwiches and salads, I decided to use the generous amount of fruit remaining on my kitchen counter for a simple soup. A soup that we could enjoy immediately with left~overs easily frozen for a surprising taste of summer during the winter months.
A turn in the oven, with just a bit of olive oil, salt & pepper, and a few sprigs of thyme concentrates and sweetens the flavor of the tomatoes, shallots and garlic. {Note: Leaving the skins on the individual cloves of garlic will prevent burning the garlic which leads to a bitter, unpleasant flavor. After roasting, the cloves easily slip from their skins and are blended into the finished soup.}
Cashews, soaked for a few hours {or overnight} and then drained, are added to a blender along with the roasted mixture and provide a dairy~free creaminess.
The finished soup is a hearty, flavorful tribute to the summer tomato.
- 4 pounds of tomatoes
- 3 shallots, peeled
- 6 cloves of garlic, skins left in tact
- 6 sprigs of thyme
- olive oil
- salt + pepper
- 1/2 cup raw cashews, soaked for at least 2 hours & drained
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 2-3 cups vegetable stock
- 1/2 cup dry Vermouth
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Cut any large tomatoes into quarters. Cut medium tomatoes into halves and leave any cherry or grape tomatoes whole. Spread them out in a single layer on the baking sheet with cut sides facing up. Cut peeled shallots into quarters and nestle among the tomatoes. Nestle the garlic cloves between the cut tomatoes like the shallots.
- Scatter thyme sprigs on top of tomatoes. Drizzle some olive oil on top of everything, using no more than 1-2 tablespoons, making sure to coat the garlic cloves well. Season the tomatoes with salt and pepper and slide the tray into the oven. Roast for about an hour, or until the tomatoes have shrivelled up a bit and the shallots are soft. Let cool slightly. Discard the thyme sprigs and slip the cloves of garlic from their skins {discarding the skins}.
- In batches, blend the roasted tomatoes, onions and garlic with the soaked cashews, tomato paste, Vermouth, and vegetable stock until you have a smooth purée {adding more or less stock to reach your desired consistency}. Pour blended soup into a large pot. Once you’ve blended everything, including the accumulated juices on the baking sheet. Bring the soup to a boil, check it for seasoning and adjust. Serve hot.
Adding a bit of crunch to our soup supper were these absolutely addictive Garlic & Parmesan Roasted Chickpeas. A few were sprinkled, like croutons, on top of the soup but, for the most part we ate them from a bowl set out on the dinner table. Crunchy and salty with a hint of parmesan cheese, these little guys have become a favorite snack around here!
- 16 ounces dried garbanzo beans, rinsed, soaked overnight and drained
- 1~2 tablespoons olive oil, melted, divided
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic {or more if you like}
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- pepper to taste
- Once the dried beans have been rinsed, soaked and drained, lay them on paper towels to dry for about 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- In a bowl, mix together 1 tablespoon of oil and add chickpeas to coat.
- Add salt, garlic, and cheese and stir well to coat.
- Lay beans on a baking sheet and drizzle with remaining olive oil.
- Bake for 20 minutes, stir and continue to bake for up to an hour or until golden and crispy. Best served hot out of the oven!
