Roasted Tomato Soup
10 tomatoes, cut in half
1 large onion, quartered
4 or 5 cloves of garlic
1 large red pepper
Fresh thyme leaves or 1/2 teaspoon dried
Freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup olive oil
Vegetable or chicken stock
Reduced Balsamic for garnish
Creme Fraiche for garnish
Toss all of the ingredients, except the stock with the olive oil, and roast in a pre-heated 400 degree oven for 25 to 30 minutes until the vegetables begin to caramelize and char at the edges and become soft.
Place the roasted vegetables in a soup pot and cover with stock.
Simmer for at least 15 minutes and puree in a food mill. By using a food mill you can remove the tomato skins, if you use a blender the skins will be part of the soup.
Garnish the soup with a couple swishes of reduced Balsamic and Creme Fraiche.
Editor's note: Soups are a great way to ward off illness in the cooler months, which is especially important if you have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Soups for COPD should include lots of vegetables to provide you with the vitamins you need to stay healthy.