Creamy Roasted Eggplant Soup

Ingredients

• 1 whole Globe Eggplant
• 1 head Garlic
• 1 whole White Onion
• 1 cup Carrots
• 1 cup Celery
• 2 cups Vegetable Broth
• ¼ cup Fresh Parsley
• 1 tsp Fresh Thyme
• 1 tsp Cumin Seeds
• ⅛ tsp Cayenne Pepper
• 2 tbsp White Balsamic Vinegar
• 1 cup Tomatoes

Instructions

1. Preheat the broiler with oven racks at the top and bottom positions. Wrap the garlic head loosely in foil. Prick the eggplant all over with a fork and place on a foil-lined baking sheet. Place garlic on the bottom rack and eggplant on the top rack. Broil the eggplant 4 to 5 inches from the heat for 25 to 30 minutes, turning once, until the skin is charred and the flesh is very soft. Remove the eggplant and reduce the oven to 425°F. Roast the garlic 20 more minutes until very tender. Let both cool until easy to handle.
2. While the eggplant and garlic roast, toast the cumin seeds in a large saucepan over medium heat for 2 minutes until fragrant. Add the onion, carrots, and celery along with ¼ cup of the vegetable broth. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and cook for 10 minutes until the vegetables are very tender, adding a splash more broth if needed to prevent sticking.
3. Add the remaining broth, parsley, thyme, and cayenne pepper to the saucepan. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
4. Halve the roasted eggplant and scoop the flesh into the saucepan, discarding the skin. Squeeze the roasted garlic cloves out of their skins into the saucepan.
5. Use an immersion blender to blend the soup until completely smooth. Alternatively, carefully transfer in batches to a blender, blend until smooth, and return to the saucepan.
6. Stir in the white balsamic vinegar. Ladle into bowls and top with chopped tomatoes and additional fresh parsley.