Tomato Sweet Potato Bisque With Pesto Grilled Cheese Croutons Food

SWEET POTATO BISQUE

Steps:

• Add the butter to a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Once the butter melts and becomes foamy, add the garlic, onions and ginger and saute until tender and fragrant, 3 to 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add the chipotle pepper and saute for 1 minute longer while breaking it up with a wooden spoon. Add the chicken broth, apple cider and sweet potatoes. Bring to a simmer and cook until the sweet potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes.
• Puree the soup using an immersion blender until smooth and velvety. Finish by stirring in the heavy cream. Top each bowl with sour cream if using.

GRILLED CHEESE CROUTONS

Steps:

• Heat a large skillet over medium high heat.
• In a small bowl, combine butter and thyme. Spread over one side of each bread slice with the butter mixture.
• Place 3 slices in the pan, buttered side down. Top with the cheese, then with remaining bread slices, buttered side up.
• Cook, turning once, until toasted on both sides, 3-5 minutes per side.
• Remove the sandwiches from the pan. Let them cool slightly, then cut them into 1" squares. Use in soups(tomato is especially nice), on top of salads, etc. Enjoy!
• Makes about 60 croutons.

PESTO GRILLED CHEESE SANDWICH

Steps:

• Spread one side of a slice of bread with butter, and place it, buttered side down, into a nonstick skillet over medium heat.
• Spread the top of the bread slice in the skillet with half the pesto sauce, and place a slice of provolone cheese, the tomato slices, and the slice of American cheese onto the pesto.
• Spread remaining pesto sauce on one side of the second slice of bread, and place the bread slice, pesto side down, onto the sandwich. Butter the top side of the sandwich.
• Gently fry the sandwich, flipping once, until both sides of the bread are golden brown and the cheese has melted, about 5 minutes per side.

TOMATO BISQUE WITH GARLIC CROUTONS

Steps:

• For the Tomato Bisque: In a large soup pot melt bacon fat, add onions and celery. Cook onions and celery until translucent, do not brown. Add tomatoes, basil and cook for 2 minutes. Add tomato juice, V-8 juice, tomato paste, chicken stock and simmer 15 minutes. Add heavy cream and bring back to a boil. Turn off heat and add the tub of cheese. Add salt and pepper to taste.
• For the Garlic Croutons: In a large bowl, mix all ingredients together. Place the ingredients on a baking sheet and bake at 325°F until a golden brown, approximately 15 minutes.
• Final Presentation: Place soup in bowl, add croutons in soup and garnish with chives.