Roasted Orange Tomato & Pepper Soup with Parsnip Chips

I had a bunch of orange tomatoes left from my shopping spree and I could not think of anything to do with them except for soup. I know, I know, it's summer, but I'm crazy and think that a great tomato soup has to start with fresh, in season tomatoes, and what a better time to get them then the summer??!! I also had beautiful orange bell peppers, so I thought, hey why not. This soup has a great deep flavor since the tomatoes and peppers are roasted. I also made a nice crostini with Italian bread and local onion Havarti cheese. I added some fresh basil towards the end to complete this marriage... I might replace/rename this soup Italian Wedding Soup because I couldn't think of a better marriage of ingredients..I kid, I kid, My mother in law makes an amazing Italian Wedding Soup that nothing can replace although she only makes it once a year for some unknown reason. <-- hint, hint..

Roasted Orange Tomato & Pepper Soup with Parsnip chips

1. 4 orange tomatoes
2. 3 orange bell peppers
3. 4 cloves garlic ( minced)
4. 1 leek white & green part ( chopped) about 1 cup
5. 1 tsp dried basil
6. 1/4 cup white wine
7. 4 cups chicken stock ( or vegetable )
8. 1/2 cup heavy cream
9. kosher salt & fresh cracked black pepper to taste
10. 1 parsnip ( peeled & sliced into rounds)
11. 2 cups vegetable oil ( to fry parsnip chips in)
12. 1 loaf french bread
13. 2 cups onion harvati cheese ( or any good melting cheese like mozzarella, fontina, or gruyere)
14. 2 basil leaves ( chiffonade)
15. 4 tbsp olive oil ( 1 tbsp for saute, 3 tbsp for tomatoes)

Pre heat oven to 425, wash & cut tomatoes in half, place tomatoes in a roasting pan lined with foil flesh side down, drizzle tomatoes with olive oil, sprinkle with salt & pepper. Roast for 50- to 60 minutes. The skin will start to caramelize. Set the tomatoes aside when done to cool, when tomatoes are cool peel skins off. While the tomatoes are cooking, roast the peppers either on the gas stove over the flame or if you have electric stove place the peppers directly on the coil. When the peppers are roasted place in a glass bowl and cover with plastic wrap for 15 minutes. When the peppers are cool enough to handle, scrap charred skin off and seed peppers, do not rinse them. Set peppers aside. Saute the leeks over medium heat in 1 tbsp olive oil for 2-3 minutes, add garlic, saute 1 minute, add the wine, allow to reduce, 2 -3 minutes. Add the chicken stock, tomatoes with all reserved roasted juices, peppers, dried basil, allow to cook for 45 minutes. Once the soup is cooked you can puree it in batches in a blender or use immersion blender. add the soup back to the heat and cook another 15 minutes over a simmer. Add the cream and fresh basil.

Parsnips chips

Heat vegetable oil, place chips in oil and fry over 350 degrees for about 30 - 45 seconds, remove with a slotted spoon and put on a plate lined with paper towels and season with salt.

Cheese Crostini

Cut loaf of french bread, bake the bread in the oven at 400 degrees for 5 minutes, remove and add shredded cheese, place back in over and cook another 3-4 minutes or until cheese is nice a bubbly.