Ingredients
4 lbs plum tomatoes
2 tbs olive oil
1 tbs unsalted butter
2 stalks celery, finely chopped
1/3 cup shallots, finely chopped
1/2 cup chicken stock or broth, or as needed
1 tsp fresh thyme
1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 cup heavy cream
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
3/4 lb mild cheddar cheese, thinly sliced
8 slices sourdough bread or pain au levain
4 tbs unsalted butter, at room temperature
Preparation
Preheat an oven to 400°F. Lightly oil a rimmed baking sheet. Cut the tomatoes in half lengthwise. Place them, cut side up, on the prepared baking sheet and brush with the 2 Tbs. oil. Roast until the tomatoes look somewhat shriveled, about 45 minutes. Let cool for about 20 minutes. Transfer the tomatoes and any juices to a food processor. Pulse until chopped, then rub the tomatoes and their juices through a coarse-mesh sieve placed over a bowl. You should have about 3 1/2 cups tomato purée. Discard the contents of the sieve.
In a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Add the celery and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the shallots and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in the tomato purée, 1/2 cup stock, and the thyme and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, for about 15 minutes. Stir in the sugar. In 3 or 4 batches, transfer the soup to a blender and process until smooth. Transfer to a clean saucepan, add the cream and heat until piping hot but not boiling. If the soup seems thick, thin with more stock. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
