a few sprigs of fresh herbs like basil or rosemary
Instructions
You'll need 2 cups of roasted tomato sauce for this recipe. Preheat the oven to 400°F and place the tomatoes in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet lined with foil. Nestle the two halves of garlic and the fresh herbs in with the tomatoes, drizzle with olive oil, season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Bake for 40-45 minutes. Transfer the tomatoes and a few of the roasted garlic cloves (squeeze them from the papery shells) to a blender and blitz until smooth. Pour the tomato sauce into a large sauce pot. Add the half onion and butter, bring to medium heat, and cook for 20 minutes or so while the peppers are roasting.
If using red peppers that are already roasted, skip this step. If not, raise the oven temperature to 425°F. Line the baking sheet with fresh foil and place the peppers on the sheet. Bake the peppers for 30 minutes or until puffed and blistered. Set aside until cool enough to handle then peel the papery skin from the pepper and discard along with the stems, seeds, and membrane.
Add the roasted tomato sauce (and a few peels of the onion if you'd like) to the blender canister along with the roasted red pepper. Cover the canister with the lid but be sure to remove the top center plug since the soup is hot and you don't want it to explode when you blend. Cover the lid with a dishtowel and blitz until smooth. Add the tomato and pepper mixture back to the pot and stir in the milk. Heat until warmed through and season with more salt and pepper to taste. If you like your soup thinner, add more milk. If you like it thicker, cook longer to reduce. Serve with a drizzle of thinned sour cream and a few fresh herb sprigs if desired. A grilled cheese sandwich or garlic bread makes a perfect side for dipping.