Gourmet Grilled Cheese and Tomato Basil Soup

 

 

Grilled cheese and tomato soup is my favorite lunch and I'm going to show you how to take this classic combo to a whole new level. Ditch the Kraft singles, white bread and canned soup and let's make something delicious!

A homemade soup is really easy and tastes so fresh. And yes, we're using canned tomatoes, but trust me here. And the sandwich....crispy perfection on the outside with gooey cheese that's just begging to be dipped in that steamy soup. Let's get started.

Tomato Basil Soup

What You'll Need:

2 Tablespoons Grape seed or Olive Oil 

4-5 Cloves of Garlic, minced

2 Stalks of Celery, sliced 

2 cans of Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes

4 cups Tomato Juice

1/4 teaspoon Smoked Paprika

1/4 teaspoon Cayenne or Chipotle powder (optional)

1 teaspoon Salt

1 teaspoon Black Pepper

15 - 20 leaves of fresh Basil (extra for garnish, if you want)

1 cup Half and Half (or milk if you want) plus extra for garnish

1 Tablespoon Butter

What You'll Do:

Heat up the grape seed or olive oil in a large Dutch Oven or large pot. I used my beautiful flame colored classic 5.5 quart Le Creuset Dutch Oven on low/medium. Add the chopped celery and saute until it starts to soften and then add the minced garlic. The garlic will cook quickly, so be sure it doesn't burn.

 

Add the tomatoes (juice and all), tomato juice, spices and basil. If you're using the cayenne or chipotle, make it just a tad spicier than you want it because when we add the half and half later, it's going to tame that spice level. Simmer for 20 - 30 minutes. Taste and adjust spices, if necessary. Add the half and half and butter.

 

 

Puree with a stick blender, (also called an immersion blender). If you don't have one, you can carefully transfer the soup into a traditional blender in small batches, if needed, and puree. Then pour back into the pot. Also, if you're nervous about using a stick blender in your Le Creuset, you can transfer to a heat resistant bowl to puree. The spinning portion of the blender never touches the pot and I am very careful when I use the blender in my Le Creuset.

To serve, pour into bowls and add a swirl or any kind of design with some half and half in a little squirt bottle, fresh cracked pepper and chopped basil.

Grilled Cheese 

 

The Bread!

Using a high quality bread is key. I'm a fan of a local bakery called Bresnan Bread and Pastry. 

Bresnan Bread, from their Insta

 Not only do they make fantastic Sourdough, Green Chile Cheese and Olive Walnut bread (to name a few of my favorites), but their Orange Cardamom Morning Bun will change your life. Visit them in Historic Downtown McKinney, Texas. You'll thank me later. I'd like to thank the Bresnans for providing some of their amazing bread with me for my Le Creuset demo. 301B E Louisiana St.

 

located at 305W. Louisiana

While you're in McKinney, don't miss The Jelly Queens down the street at 305 W Louisiana. With products like Fig Butter, Strawberry Vodka Jam, Blackberry Habanero Jam and Blood Orange Lavender Marmalade, how can you choose? The Queens were kind enough to share some of their delicious Peach Pepper Jam with me for my Le Creuset Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup demo.

 

McKinney, Texas has a town square that is Hallmark movie cute and is filled with boutique shops, great restaurants, wineries and more. It's definitely worth a day trip or a weekend trip and it's a fantastic place to do your Christmas shopping.  

Le Creuset No Knead Bread 

 

 

If you want to try your hand at baking your own bread sometime, I'd suggest using the Le Creuset No Knead Bread Recipe. It's really pretty easy and I add some chopped fresh rosemary to the mix. 

 

 

 

Tastefully Simple Beer Bread with Rosemary

Even easier is Tastefully Simple Beer Bread. I have added any number of extra ingredients to it to make it fancy (chopped green apple, rosemary, cooked bacon, sharp cheddar, pecans) but it's good all on it's own. It's also really good with their soup mixes and that makes a delicious and easy dinner. 

 

Shop their products with my friend, Richard, here: Tastefully Simple. A great Christmas prezzie idea: buy a Le Creuset Heritage Stoneware Loaf Pan or Non Stick Loaf Pan and add a box of Tastefully Simple Beer Bread Mix and a Tastefully Simple Potato Cheddar Soup Mix and wrap that up in clear wrap with a pretty ribbon. 

Now let's talk about grilled cheese.... You already know how to make a basic grilled cheese sandwich, so I'm going to give you my best tips and suggestions on how to perfect it and maybe some new ideas.

TIPS

*Grated cheese melts best. Grate it yourself. Pregrated cheese has an additive that keeps it from clumping and it's just not as good. 

* Use a good melting cheese like brie, cheddar, Gouda, provolone, Monterrey Jack, Gruyere, Swiss, mozzarella. You can use American, but that's a hard no from me. 

*Get your items out of the frig for a little bit before making the grilled cheese. If you let the cheese warm up a little at room temp, it will melt better. 

* Mayo instead of butter. Seriously, try it. Spreading a thin bit of mayo on the exterior of the bread instead of using butter results in a more even and crunchy browning of the sandwich. It does not give a 'mayo' taste. 

*Slow and low. Use a low temperature and give that cheese a chance to melt. Pop a lid on the pan for a minute and the trapped heat will help melt the cheese, too.  

* I use my Le Creuset Non Stick Braiser or my Le Creuset Non Stick Crepe Pan  or my Le Creuset Skillet for grilled cheese making.

* Press a little grated Parmesan cheese into the mayo that you spread on the outside of the bread before grilling for a little extra cheesiness.

Think outside the box for different sandwich ideas. A grilled cheese sandwich shouldn't be limited to just bread and cheese. 

 

Caprese Sandwich (also good not grilled, just fyi) -Sourdough bread, fresh slices of tomato, mozzarella cheese, fresh basil leaves and/or pesto. Drizzle on a little balsamic glaze before serving.

 

 

Turkey & Brie - try one with turkey deli meat, brie cheese and some peach pepper jelly on walnut olive bread.

Mexi Grilled Cheese - how about some jalapeño cheddar bread and Monterrey Jack cheese, avocado and cilantro? Add some sliced pickled jalapeños for extra heat and a squirt of lime on the avocado. 

 

Fall Flavor - spread some bacon jam on sourdough bread and add smoked Gouda or cheddar cheese and a thin slice of apple or pear.