Fall grilled cheese with tomato soup is for the chill in the air. You eat it for comfort and warmth as you settle in to short days and long nights. It is not for a hundred plus degree weather with blue skies and a Santa Ana breeze coming in from the desert. Alas, we must work with what we have and I had planned on grilled cheese on sourdough and a solid tomato soup for our month of October discussion and tutorial. It went well with our walk through of sourdough variations, as mixing cheeses with different sourdough add ins can be creative play in the kitchen. The flavors of sourdough and seeds, pop with the mix of cheese and fillings. I am not sure I have ever had a better grilled cheese. In the past we have hosted Halloween parties with a grilled cheese theme. A hot sandwich and soup for the kids before heading out into the goolish world of all hallows eve in search of candy; it really hits the spot. That or the chicken pot pie of course. This year feels different though, as the heat is intense and doesn’t seem to be waining, apart from a possible few days of hurricane remnants that might bring some cloudy skies and a drizzle of rain. We shall see if we are so lucky.

I decided to get creative and take my kitchen to a beach camping spot near the estuary in Ventura. It is settled between the 101 freeway and the surfliner railway, and although that might sound bustling, it is strangely unique and fun for a change of scenery. The ocean happens to be a stones throw over the tracks so the breeze is perfectly salty and enough chill to give a lunch of grilled cheese and soup a warranted place on this early October day. I set up my kitchen with a basic coleman camp cook stove on the weathered picnic table . Some cast iron and a cooler seemed enough to make some cooking happen, so alone, with a heron and a squirrel as companions I made some grilled cheese.

Although, the ideas for grilled cheese are endless, I decided to focus on three variations you might be interested in trying in your own kitchen. A basic sliced tomato and dill with a melty havarti. A french onion grill with sauteed shallots and a blend of three cheeses; sharp white cheddar, gruyere and parmesan. Finally, a pesto and turkey with a sharp white cheddar and havarti. All three paired with a simple tomato soup, with a recipe below.

I was surprised at how well my plan had worked out. I will be cooking like this more often. I am a fan of scrappy cooking and finding creativity in kitchens beyond your own. It often times feels like a fun project or experiment, giving you a sense of accomplishment and a great appreciation for the meal if it all works out. You feel completely competent and almost brilliant. You could maybe survive anyting.

TOO HOT FOR TOMATO SOUP

A very simple tomato soup recipe that can be made in less than an hour.

INGREDIENTS:

2 1/2 pound roma tomatoes, 8 garlic cloves, olive oil, 1 large yellow onion, salt and pepper, 4 cups chicken broth, parmesan rind, crushed red pepper flakes, 1 cup basil leaves, heavy cream

PROCESS:

1. destem your tomatoes and cut them into quarters. Roast on a sheet pan with garlic cloves and olive oil and salt and pepper. Roast at 450 degrees F until softened, roughly 20-25 minutes

2. In a sauce pan saute your diced onion in 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and salt and pepper. Saute until soft, translucent and lightly browned

3. Add you roasted tomatoes and garlic to the saucepan with the onions. Then add your chicken broth and bring to a simmer.

4. With a blender, blend the tomatoes and broth until smooth.

5. Add in your parmesan rind, red pepper flakes, basil, salt and pepper and bring to a boil

6. Let soup simmer for 25-30 minutes, stirring occasionaly

7. remove parmesan rind

8. serve with heavy cream, and basil