Sundried Tomato Bisque & Grilled Cheese Croutons

Name: Sundried Tomato Bisque & Grilled Cheese Croutons
Total time: 2700 s
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1/4 cup Olive Oil; 2 tsp Minced Garlic; 1/2 cup Red Onion; 1/3 cup Sundried Tomatoes; 28 oz Diced Tomatoes; 2 cup Tomato Juice; 4 dash Dried Basil; 2 tbsp Rice Vinegar; 2 tbsp Sugar; 2 each Basil Leafs; 1 cup Heavy Cream; 2/3 box Philadelphia Cream Cheese; 4 slice Bread of Choice; 4 slice Cheese of Choice; 4 tbsp Butter; 4 each Basil Leaves; 1 tbsp Olive Oil; 1 dash Balsamic Vinegar/Glaze

K.T. Bennett @cook_2858865

Classy Easy to make Comfort Food!

K.T. Bennett @cook_2858865

Classy Easy to make Comfort Food!

Saved

Ingredients

45 mins

4 servings

Bisque
1/4 cupOlive Oil
2 tspMinced Garlic
1/2 cupRed Onion
1/3 cupSundried Tomatoes
28 ozDiced Tomatoes
2 cupTomato Juice
4 dashDried Basil
2 tbspRice Vinegar
2 tbspSugar
2 eachBasil Leafs
1 cupHeavy Cream
2/3 boxPhiladelphia Cream Cheese
Grilled Cheese Croutons
4 sliceBread of Choice
4 sliceCheese of Choice
4 tbspButter
4 eachBasil Leaves
1 tbspOlive Oil
1 dashBalsamic Vinegar/Glaze

Saved

Steps

45 mins

1

In a 5 qt. pot heat olive oil on medium heat, add diced red onions, sauté for about 3 min. Add garlic and sundried tomatoes, sauté for another 3 minutes. Control heat depending on your stove. Heat may be turned down to ensure the onions and garlic don't burn.
2

Add diced tomatoes, tomato juice, basil, rice vinegar, & sugar. Stew on med/low heat for about 10 min. (Stir regularly)
3

Julienne or chop fresh basil leafs. Add to pot and continue stewing for 10 more minutes (stir regularly).
4

While tomatoes and seasonings are stewing begin to prep to make the grilled cheese croutons. Gather all of the recommended ingredients. ** I will note that I find, the more dense the bread, the better crouton it makes. **
5

Butter one side of each piece of bread. Turn the bread over so the unbuttered side is exposed. Add two slices of desired cheese to two pieces of the unbuttered side ( you can use shredded cheese, I find that sliced cheese is easier to maintain). Take the other two slices of bread (one of each) place the unbuttered side on top of the two pieces that have cheese already on them. This should expose the butter on the outsides of each of the bread slices.
6

Go back to the stew and add heavy cream. Chop 2/3 of the cream cheese block into chunks (this helps the cream cheese to melt faster) add to the pot. Simmer until the cream cheese has melted. Approx. 5-7 min. Stir in the meantime. ***I will note: the better quality cream cheese the better consultancy you will have! Generic/cheap brands tend to separate faster. I will also mention, if you feel the bisque is too thick for your liking you can always add more tomato juice. This will thin out the consistency making more of a soup.
7

Once cream cheese chunks have melted, use a hand blender to purée ingredients. Do this until all of the tomato chunks have liquified. This will also help if any cream cheese did not fully melt. Keep on low heat until ready to serve.
8

Heat a sauté pan on medium/low heat for a couple of minutes. After the pan is hot, add buttered cheese sandwiches. You may need to turn heat down to low depending on your stove. Watch for the bread to get golden brown and still slowly melt the cheese in the middle. After one side is golden brown and crisp, flip sandwiches over to cook the other side. Watch carefully for the other side to get golden and crispy as well. Once both sides are crisp, move to a side plate.
9

Take your newly grilled cheese and cut them into cubes.
10

Julienne/Cut more fresh basil.
11

Serve the Tomato Bisque into desired bowl. Add grilled cheese cubes (croutons) on top of the bisque. Drizzle a bit of olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Top off with fresh basil and serve!