Tomato Orange Soup With Grilled Three Cheese sandwich

Photos © Nick Young 2011

I think that a good tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwich is the ultimate comfort food.

I have been making this soup for many years, I'm not sure where I learned it… Most likely from the great Erik Michel!

Soup

1 small yellow onion
4 medium carrots
A splash of olive oil
1 orange, peel & juice
2 lbs tomatos, chopped
3 cups vegetable stock
1 tsp salt

Sauté the onion and the carrots with a splash of olive oil. Add the orange peel, juice, tomatoes, salt and vegetable stock. Simmer for around twenty minutes to allow the tomatoes to break down. Blend with a hand blender*, or traditional blender and serve with a sprinkling of fresh cilantro or basil, your choice.

Sandwich

2 slices bread
1 oz cheddar
1 oz provolone
1 oz mozzarella
2 slices red onion

Layer the three different cheeses and red onion between the bread and cook in a panini press or on a stove top griddle. Serve garnished with the little salad. I garnished mine with sugar snap pea sprouts.

As I started this recipe today I got the news that a friend, Mark Goode, passed away in his sleep this morning, he was only 39 years old… For what it's worth, I dedicate this recipe to him.

Me with Mark, RIP

* I highly recommend purchasing a hand blender, they are so much more convenient than a traditional blender.