
The temperatures have dropped significantly here in the northeast which means Peter and I are looking for new and even unusual soup recipes. This one for Spicy Tomato and Blue Cheese Soup qualifies. The spice comes from the sriracha sauce which is a Thai chili sauce. The canned San Marzano tomatoes are consistently good for a canned product and a welcome addition to our winter food locker, and the blue cheese I used here was relatively-mild for a blue cheese - a raw milk bleu d'Auvergne. Together these ingredients make a creamy mixture that is as memorable as it is good. We did think that the heat was a little too much, so the next time we make this soup, we'll halve the sriracha sauce. Peter adores blue cheese and he wants it to really shine.

By the way, this soup is utterly delicious with grilled cheese sandwiches eaten in front of a roaring fire while watching a good movie. Thanks once more goes to Michael Symon and his cook book Live to Cook Recipes and Techniques to Rock Your Kitchen.
Spicy Tomato and Blue Cheese Soup
(Serves 4 to 6)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium red-onion, finely chopped
Kosher salt
4 garlic cloves, sliced
1 28-ounce can San Marzano tomatoes, with their juice
1½ cups Chicken Stock
¾ cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons sriracha sauce
1 tablespoon fresh oregano
½ cup Roth Kase Buttermilk Blue Cheese
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Heat the olive oil in a 4-quart ppot over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the onion and a three-finger pinch of Kosher salt and sweat for 2 minutes. Add the garlic and continue to sweat for 2 more minutes. Add the tomatoes, their juice, and the stock and bring to a simmer. Add the cream, sriracha sauce, and oregano and simmer for 45 minutes.
Pour the soup into a blender or food processor, add the blue cheese, and blend until smooth, working in batches if needed. Strain through a fine-mesh strainer into a clean pot, taste, adjust seasoning if necessary, and reheat to serve. This soup will keep, covered in the refrigerator, for a few days.
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I didn't find the brand of cheese that Symon recommends but my sister, in Tennessee, did. Check out their website by clicking here.
