Rustic Roasted Heirloom Tomato Soup with Balsamic Vinegar and Blue Cheese

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 300F. Slice the tomatoes into 3/4" thick slices, toss with 1 tablespoon garlic, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon each of salt, pepper and sugar. Place on cookie sheets and roast for 2 hours, or until they are puckered all around the edges.
2. Roast the poblano peppers until the skins are blackened. Remove from the oven and place in a bowl of ice water for 3-4 minutes. This will make peeling the thin skins much easier. Peel, remove the seeds and coarsely chop. Set aside.
3. Saute the onion, red pepper and remaining tablespoon of garlic in the remaining olive oil until soft. Add the roasted tomatoes, roasted peppers, basil and remaining salt, pepper and basil. Cook for about 10 minutes to mingle the flavors and break up the tomatoes.
4. Pour the soup in batches into a food processor and process to get the consistency you want. Pour the soup back into the pot. Add 3 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar, 1/2 ounce of blue cheese, and sherry and stir in to at least partly melt the blue cheese.
5. Place the rest of the balsamic vinegar in a small pot on the stove and heat. Add the remaining blue cheese and melt. Drizzle on top of the soup. Sprinkle with some finely chopped basil.