Roasted Eggplant and Tomato Soup (Recipe #106)

I am a soup-lover. However, I only like--not love--eggplant. I was a little concerned that I was not going to enjoy this roasted eggplant and tomato soup, but my original thoughts were wrong. This was a really delicious soup that came out perfect. I am always looking for food that is warm and comforting when the weather starts to cool. This soup was perfect for that comfort feeling.

This was a simple soup to prepare. I had to start by broiling the eggplant under the broiler until it started to develop a deep brown color. I have never prepared eggplant in this fashion before, but I can tell that it really helped the flavor of the soup. While the eggplant was broiling, I prepared the other ingredients. I began sauteing onion in a pan with oil. I added spices (including cumin and garlic). I followed the spices with vegetable broth, tomatoes, bay leaf, and raisins. I also added in about half of the eggplant reserving the other half on the side. I simmered the soup until the eggplant was tender, then I put it in the blender with the bay leaf removed. I processed it until smooth. I added the soup back to the pan. I stirred in the remaining eggplant and some lemon juice. I kept it on the stove only for a couple minutes just to warm it through. I served it with a drizzle of oil, some almonds, and cilantro.

This soup had a really incredible flavor. I loved the addition of the raisins to add in some sweetness. I really liked how the majority of the soup was thick and creamy, but that I would still get a few pieces of eggplant to chew. It made the soup feel more filling. As I have mentioned, this was a perfect fall soup. I would recommend and I would make this again! 

Taste: 9/10

Level of difficulty: 1/5

Notes for next time: I really enjoyed this recipe--super comforting on a cool day.