Tomato Basil Bisque

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Cut off ¼ inch of the head of garlic from the top. Place garlic on top of aluminum foil and drizzle with about 1 tablespoon of olive oil, ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Fold up the foil and seal. Set aside.

On a large sheet pan, drizzle roma tomatoes with olive oil, 1 ½ teaspoons salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Arrange tomatoes flat side up, without overcrowding. Tip: use 2 sheet pans if needed, as overcrowding will lead to steaming and not roasting.

Place the prepared garlic head on the same sheet pan along with the tomatoes. Roast for 30-40 minutes, flipping the tomatoes halfway through. Set aside. Note: The tomatoes need 30 minutes. The roasted garlic needs closer to 40 minutes.

In a large Dutch oven or pot, heat about 3 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the diced onions and sauté until softened, about 6 to 8 minutes. Add thyme and Italian seasoning and cook until fragrant, 1-2 more minutes.

Stir in broth, then add the roasted tomatoes, the canned diced tomatoes, and fresh basil leaves. Next, squeeze out the garlic cloves only and add it into the soup (discard the rest).

Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to simmer. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Simmer with the lid partially covered, stirring occasionally, for about 20 minutes.

Using an immersion blender, blend soup until smooth.

Stir in the granulated sugar. This balances out the acidity of the tomatoes.

Stir in heavy cream to taste, and simmer for another 1 minute until incorporated. Garnish as desired and serve warm. Enjoy!