{creamy tomato bisque}

I am a HUGE fan of the tomato basil bisque at Dish in Charlotte, NC. Its simply fantastic. Since discovering it, I've been searching for a recipe to try on my own and well, I've found it. Not only is it very simple to put together, but the flavors are incredibly delicious and it does a great job of warming you up on these cold winter nights. Serve it with a grilled cheese sandwich and don't be shy about dipping it in the bisque for extra deliciousness.

I do need to mention that I was not only excited about trying this recipe but was also very exciting because I was able to break in my brand new immersion blender! I might have been a little too excited about this but man did it make puréeing the soup a breeze. If you do not own one (get one! you won't regret it), you can let the soup cool and then transfer it to a blender to puree.

Recipe after the jump

{creamy tomato bisque}

recipe adapted from: Slow Cooker: The Best Cookbook Ever by Diane Phillips
serves: 8

ingredients

two 28-ounce cans diced tomatoes, drained
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried marjoram
1/2 cup chopped red onion
6 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
1 1/2 tsp salt
pinch red pepper flakes
1/2 cup vegetable or chicken broth
1 cup whole-milk ricotta cheese
1 1/2 cups soy creamer (can use heavy cream instead)
1/2 cup freshly grated parmigiano reggiano

cheese + bread for the grilled cheese sandwich

directions

Combine the tomatoes, olive oil, basil, marjoram, onion, garlic, salt, red pepper flakes and broth into a 5-7 quart slow cooker.

Cover and cook on low for 6 hours or high for 3-4 hours until the tomatoes and onion are softened. Using an immersion blender, purée the soup or, cool and purée in a blender. Whisk in the ricotta, cream and parmigiano reggiano.

Cover and turn temperature to low. Allow the cheese to melt (shouldn't take long at all).

Serve with a grilled cheese sandwich and enjoy!