Preparation:
Place the tomatoes, with juice, in a buttered oven-proof baking dish. Add the celery, garlic and red pepper and cover and bake in a 325 degree oven for 25 minutes. Saute the mushrooms and onion in the second batch of butter in a large stock pot for about 8 minutes. While stirring, slowly add the flour and sugar, blending until mixture is very smooth. Add the stock, basil, rosemary and thyme, stirring until soup comes to a boil. Add the contents of the baked tomato pan from the oven and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer the soup for about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, in a food processor, blend the cream cheese, salt and pepper until smooth. Slowly stir the cream cheese into the soup. Garnish with chopped parsley. |
