Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup

How old were you when you found out that using equal parts of butter and mayonnaise on the bread for your grilled cheese makes the best grilled cheese?

I was today years old.

Well, not necessarily today, but sometime in August when my September issue of Martha Stewart Living arrived. Yes, I still get the magazine delivered in print to my house every month, like the precious out of date person I can be sometimes.  Martha says that the butter gives the flavor, and the mayo gives the crunch. I was dying to test this out, and long story short, I have been making my grilled cheese like this ever since. Moral to the story? Martha will never do you wrong.

And now that you know the secret to perfect grilled cheese, you obviously need the perfect tomato soup to go along with it. This soup is easy. This soup is classic. This soup is the ultimate comfort. And in case you need reassurance, I will never do you wrong either.

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For the soup:

2 tbsp. butter

2 tbsp. olive oil

2 small onions, chopped

6 cloves garlic, smashed

4 tbsp. flour

2  (28 oz.) cans whole, peeled tomatoes

4 cups (one box) chicken stock

basil

s&p

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1. Get the butter and olive oil going in your soup pot. I use my cast iron dutch oven always. (If you’ve seen my Instagram you can see that my cast iron is perfectly seasoned and has been very well loved. )
2. Sauté your onions and garlic until they are soft and golden, about 6 minutes or so.  You will then add in the 4tbsp. of flour here. What you are doing is making a roux, so look at you go, all fancy and stuff now.
3. Cook this for about a minute or so and then add in the tomatoes and chicken stock. Bring this to a boil. Once your soup is boiling, turn the heat down so that your soup is simmering. Drop your leaves of basil on top, put a lid on it, and let it do its thing for about 20 minutes or so. Make those tomatoes WORK FOR YOU, not the other way around here.
4. Fish out the basil and discard it. Let the soup cool for just a little bit. What you need to do next is puree it. You can do this one of two ways, in batches in a blender, or keep it in the pot and use one of these. I have had mine since about 2004, it’s a great little investment, and I love it.
5. Taste your soup and give it all the salt and pepper love it needs. I believe I have already shared my feelings on the proper seasoning of food so that your diners don’t have to, so I will spare you that rant today. HA, love me like I am or don’t love me at all.
6. Make your grilled cheese however you like. I am a diehard fan of the sourdough bread and sharp cheddar cheese combo, because I think it just works. You can always use whatever you have on hand.  But trust me with the butter and mayo business, it’s THE BUSINESS.