Tomato Sweet Potato Bisque with Pesto Grilled Cheese Croutons

Name: Tomato Sweet Potato Bisque with Pesto Grilled Cheese Croutons
Cook time: P0Y0M0DT1H10M0.000S
Total time: P0Y0M0DT1H40M0.000S
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
Ingredients: 1 medium sweet potato; 1 tablespoon olive oil; 2 medium carrots, roughly chopped; 1 rib celery, roughly chopped; 1 sweet onion, roughly chopped; 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more as needed; 4 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped; 2 sprigs fresh thyme; 1 bay leaf; One 14.5-ounce can fire-roasted diced tomatoes; 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper; 4 cups unsalted vegetable broth, or more as needed; 1/4 cup heavy cream; Freshly ground black pepper; Micro basil, for garnish; Pesto Grilled Cheese Croutons, recipe follows; 2 cups packed fresh basil; 2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped; 1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted; 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano; 1 teaspoon lemon zest; Pinch kosher salt, plus more as needed; 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil; Eight 1/2-inch slices bread, cut from a loaf of pain de mie; 4 slices sharp or extra-sharp aged Cheddar, thinly sliced; 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened; 3 tablespoons mayonnaise

Getting reviews...

Level: Intermediate

Total: 1 hr 40 min
Active: 1 hr 10 min

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Level: Intermediate

Total: 1 hr 40 min
Active: 1 hr 10 min

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Ingredients

1 medium sweet potato

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 medium carrots, roughly chopped

1 rib celery, roughly chopped

1 sweet onion, roughly chopped

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more as needed

4 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped

2 sprigs fresh thyme

1 bay leaf

One 14.5-ounce can fire-roasted diced tomatoes

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

4 cups unsalted vegetable broth, or more as needed

1/4 cup heavy cream

Freshly ground black pepper

Micro basil, for garnish

Pesto Grilled Cheese Croutons, recipe follows

Pesto Grilled Cheese Croutons:

2 cups packed fresh basil

2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped

1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted

1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

1 teaspoon lemon zest

Pinch kosher salt, plus more as needed

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Eight 1/2-inch slices bread, cut from a loaf of pain de mie

4 slices sharp or extra-sharp aged Cheddar, thinly sliced

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

3 tablespoons mayonnaise

Directions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
Place the sweet potato on a baking sheet and bake until soft, 35 to 40 minutes. Allow to cool, then peel it.
Meanwhile, heat a large deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and heat until just hot. Add the carrots, celery, onion and salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions just turn translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, thyme and bay leaf and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are nice and brown, 5 to 7 minutes.
Stir in the tomatoes with their juices and cayenne, then stir in the broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to maintain a steady simmer until the carrots are tender, about 15 minutes. Remove and discard the thyme sprigs and bay leaf. Add the roasted sweet potato.
Using a blender, puree the soup until silky smooth. Return the soup to the skillet and heat on low. Stir in the cream. For a thinner soup, stir in more broth. Season to taste and serve hot with the micro basil and Croutons.

Pesto Grilled Cheese Croutons:

To the bowl of a food processor, add the basil, garlic, pine nuts, Parmesan, lemon zest and salt. Pulse until the mixture forms a chunky paste, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl occasionally. With the machine running, add the olive oil in a steady stream. Keep processing until the desired consistency is reached, pulsing less for a more coarse pesto and more for a smooth one. Season to taste.
To make the sandwiches: Spread some pesto on 1 side of 2 slices of bread. Arrange a slice of Cheddar over the pesto on 1 slice of bread. Sandwich with the other slice of the bread, pesto-side down. Repeat with remaining pesto, bread and Cheddar.
Mix the butter and mayo together in a small bowl. Spread a generous layer on both sides of each sandwich.
Place the sandwich in a nonstick skillet and turn the heat to medium-low. Cook, turning occasionally, until the bread is nice and toasty and golden brown, the cheese is melty and the sandwich is heated through. Repeat with the remaining sandwiches. Cut into croutons.

When blending hot liquid, first let it cool for five minutes or so, then transfer it to a blender, filling only halfway. Put the lid on, leaving one corner open. Cover the lid with a kitchen towel to catch splatters, and pulse until smooth.