Creamy Roasted Tomato & Cauliflower Soup

Preheat oven to 400 F.

In a large roasting pan, toss cherry tomatoes and cauliflower with 1 1/2 tablespoons of olive oil. Roast in preheated oven for 25 minutes, or until tomatoes have blistered and cauliflower is golden brown. Remove from oven when done.

In a large pot over medium heat, saute the shallot in the remaining 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil for about 5 minutes, or until fragrant. Add the garlic and cook for an additional minute, stirring frequently.

Add the roasted cauliflower and tomatoes, broth, thyme, bay leaves, salt and pepper. Bring to a gentle boil then reduce heat. Simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove the bay leaves and thyme sprigs and discard them.

Remove the pot from the heat and blend carefully with an immersion blender. If you don’t have an immersion blender, use a regular blender to blend the soup in small batches. Take caution not to burn yourself while blending hot soup. Blend until smooth and creamy.

Serve immediately with shaved Parmesan and additional fresh sprigs of thyme, if desired.