My recipe consists of roasting the tomatoes available in the late summer and early autumn when they’re at their sweetest and most divine.

Tomato season is the best season. Picking the little cherry guys off the vine while they’re still warm from the sun and popping them straight into my mouth is one of my favourite things to do from July to September. The large, fat heirloom variety I slice thickly, and their juices run off my cutting board. I arrange the slices on a pretty plate, drizzle them with a bit of good olive oil and sprinkle with a flutter of flaky salt. I cut them with my fork, savouring the sweetness of a fine summer tomato.

Sometimes, if I’m feeling fancy, I’ll slip in some leaves of fresh basil and torn shards of fresh, milky mozzarella. A flourish of reduced balsamic vinegar is an extra step, but one worth taking. And let’s not forget summer’s finest sandwich: lightly toasted bread, slathered with mayonnaise, and topped with slim slices of your favourite tomato. Cracked pepper and sea salt are the only necessary additions. Bonus points if you make your own mayonnaise. High-five if you bake your own bread.

We deliver the local news you need in these turbulent times on weekdays at 3 p.m.

A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder.

The next issue of Saskatoon StarPhoenix Afternoon Headlines will soon be in your inbox.

We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try again

I could eat this sandwich every day until my supply of fresh tomatoes runs out. If I’m fortunate enough to have a bumper crop of cherry tomatoes, I’ll roast them slowly with olive oil, salt, and whatever herbs I have about. When they’ve slumped out of their burnished skins, I love to heap them high on thick slices of sourdough toast that have been kissed with ricotta cheese. Tomatoes, glorious tomatoes.

And then there is creamy and delicious made-from-scratch tomato soup. Raise your hand if you grew up dunking the crispy edges of your grilled cheese sandwich into a bowl of cream of tomato soup. Me too! It was comforting and filled my belly as I watched All My Children before heading back to high school for the afternoon. I no longer watch soap operas (does Coronation Street count?) but I sure do still love a bowl of creamy tomato soup.

My version consists of roasting the tomatoes available in the late summer and early autumn when they’re at their sweetest and most divine. Roasting enhances the flavours of all of the vegetables in this soup, and it’s important to scrape off all of those glorious brown bits from the pan into the blender. Brown bits = flavour! With just a bit of broth and cream, this is a tomato-forward soup that tastes familiar and wholesome, especially when combined with crunchy, cheesy croutons.

Creamy Roasted Tomato Soup with Cheesy Croutons

2 lb fresh plum tomatoes, such as Roma, cut in half lengthwise

1 large onion, sliced into 8 wedges

1 cup chopped (about ½-inch-thick pieces) carrots

1 tsp salt, plus more to taste

1/4 tsp pepper, plus more to taste

1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken (or vegetable) broth

1/4 cup chopped fresh herbs, such as basil or dill

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Combine the tomatoes, onion, garlic, carrots, oil, rosemary,

and thyme in a 9- × 13-inch roasting pan. Season with salt and pepper. Toss well. Roast, stirring once or twice, until the vegetables are charred in places and nicely softened, about 25-30 minutes.

2. Remove the roasted vegetables from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes. Discard the sprigs of rosemary and thyme. Using a blender (be careful, hot liquid!), purée the vegetables, then transfer them into a Dutch oven or other soup pot.

3. Stir in the broth, then cover the pot with a lid. Bring the soup to a simmer over medium-high heat. Let it cook for about 10 minutes, then turn down the heat to low and stir in the cream. Season to taste with more salt and pepper, and stir in the fresh herbs.

4. Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with plenty of cheesy croutons.

3 cups cubed crusty day-old bread, such as baguette or sourdough

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. In a medium bowl, toss together the bread cubes with the oil. Spread in an even layer on the baking sheet, then sprinkle with the Parmesan. Season with generous pinches of salt and pepper.

4. Bake until the bread is toasted, the cheese is melted, and the croutons are clumping together, about 12-14 minutes. Give them a stir, then bake a few more minutes until the croutons are golden brown.

4. Remove from the oven and let cool for a bit, then scatter them over the bowls of tomato soup. Store in an airtight container for 1 day.

Recipe from Vegetables: A Love Story by Renée Kohlman (TouchWood Editions, 2021)

The news seems to be flying at us faster all the time. From COVID-19 updates to politics and crime and everything in between, it can be hard to keep up. With that in mind, the Saskatoon StarPhoenix has created an Afternoon Headlines newsletter that can be delivered daily to your inbox to help make sure you are up to date with the most vital news of the day. Click here to subscribe.

Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion and encourage all readers to share their views on our articles. Comments may take up to an hour for moderation before appearing on the site. We ask you to keep your comments relevant and respectful. We have enabled email notifications—you will now receive an email if you receive a reply to your comment, there is an update to a comment thread you follow or if a user you follow comments. Visit our Community Guidelines for more information and details on how to adjust your email settings.

365 Bloor Street East, Toronto, Ontario, M4W 3L4

© 2022 The Star Phoenix, a division of Postmedia Network Inc. All rights reserved. Unauthorized distribution, transmission or republication strictly prohibited.

This website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. Read more about cookies here. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.