Tomato Soup & Grilled Cheese

Method

1. 1

   Step 1

   Melt the 1 tbsp butter in a 3-quart (3-liter) heavy saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the onion and cook for 8–10 minutes, stirring frequently, until softened and translucent but not browned.

2. 2

   Step 2

   Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring, until fragrant. Add the tomatoes and their juice, vegetable stock, salt and pepper, breaking the tomatoes into smaller pieces with a wooden spoon.

3. 3

   Step 3

   Increase the heat to medium-high and bring the soup to a gentle boil, about 3–5 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes break down easily and the soup has thickened slightly.

4. 4

   Step 4

   While the soup simmers, lay out the bread and spread one side of each slice with ½ tbsp softened butter, covering it right to the edges. Assemble four sandwiches with two slices of cheddar each, keeping the buttered sides facing outward and trimming or overlapping the cheese to fit inside the bread.

5. 5

   Step 5

   Remove the saucepan from the heat and blend the soup with an immersion blender until smooth, keeping the blade submerged to prevent splashes. Stir in the cream, then return to low heat for 2–3 minutes until steaming; do not let it boil, and keep it warm while you finish the sandwiches.

6. 6

   Step 6

   Heat a 12-inch (30 cm) heavy frying pan over medium-low heat for 2 minutes. Add two sandwiches and cook for 3–4 minutes, pressing lightly with a spatula once or twice, until the undersides are evenly golden brown.

7. 7

   Step 7

   Turn the sandwiches over and cook for another 3–4 minutes, covering the pan for the first 2 minutes to help melt the cheese. The bread should be crisp and golden and the cheese fully melted; reduce the heat if the bread colors too quickly, then repeat with the remaining sandwiches.

8. 8

   Step 8

   Let the sandwiches rest on a wire rack for 1 minute before cutting them in half, so the bottoms stay crisp. Divide the hot soup among four bowls and serve immediately with one sandwich per person for dipping.