1Wrap garlic, little pieces of shallot, olive oil, salt, and pepper in a pouch. Add a sprinkle of sweet paprika.
2Roast the garlic pouch in the oven at 375 degrees until soft.
3Dice the sweet onion.
4Chop a couple of cloves of garlic.
5Saute the diced onions in a pot until soft.
6Add chopped garlic, salt, pepper, and a generous amount of tomato paste to the pot. Caramelize the tomato paste.
7Deglaze the pan with a little chicken stock, scraping all the brown bits off the bottom.
8Add the roasted vegetables to the pot with the caramelized onions and tomato paste.
9Add another hit of chicken stock to the pot.
10Blend the soup with an immersion blender until smooth.
11Stir in heavy cream for sweetness.
12For the aioli, combine Parmesan Reggiano, roasted garlic, basil, toasted pine nuts, lemon zest, lemon juice, vinegar, a dibblet of Dijon, salt, and pepper.
13Slowly add oil to the aioli mixture while blending to thicken it.
14Grate extra sharp white cheese and have sliced white American cheese ready.
15Spread a dollop of basil aioli in a thin layer on a slice of bread.
16Melt butter in a pan over medium-low heat.
17Place the bread with the aioli side down in the pan.
18Add American and sharp cheddar cheese on top of the bread.
19Place another slice of aioli-spread bread on top to form the sandwich.
20Cook the grilled cheese low and slow.
21Add more butter to the pan.
22Flip the grilled cheese and continue cooking until golden brown and the cheese is melted.
23Garnish the soup with a little heavy cream and a basil sprig.
Ingredients
1 big sweet onion
1 shallot
little pieces garlic
olive oil
salt
pepper
sprinkle sweet paprika
little dice sweet onion
2 cloves of garlic
generous amount tomato paste
little chicken stock
roasted veg
hit chicken stock
heavy cream
Parmesan Reggiano
little pieces roasted garlic
some basil
toasted pine nuts
lemon zest
lemon juice
vinegar
dibblet Dijon
oil
extra sharp white cheese
sliced white American cheese
bit basil aioli
butter
American cheese
sharp cheddar cheese
heavy cream
basil sprig
Equipment
ovenpotimmersion blenderpanstove
Tips
Don't throw away the top pieces of shallot for flavor.
Caramelizing tomato paste adds depth of flavor.
Deglaze the pan with chicken stock to scrape up brown bits.
Cook grilled cheese low and slow for best results.