Tomato soup with a hot Tex-Mex cheese sandwich

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp. l. olive oil
• 2 tbsp butter + extra for sandwiches
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
• 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 2 onions, chopped
• 1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, seeded and finely chopped, + 1 tablespoon adobo sauce
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 can (900 g) San Marzano tomatoes
• 3 cups chicken or vegetable broth
• 1/3 - 0.5 cup sour cream
• 8 slices white or whole grain bread
• 8 slices pepper jack cheese
• 1/4 cup finely chopped chives, for serving

Preparation:

1. Preheat the grill to grill the sandwiches.
2. Heat a medium soup pot over medium-high heat, add olive oil, and melt 2 tablespoons of butter in it. Add the garlic, onion, chipotle pepper, adobo sauce, and some salt and black pepper. Cover the pot and cook until the onion is soft, about 10 minutes.
3. Add the tomato paste and cook until fragrant, 2 minutes. Then deglaze the pan with 2 cups of chicken broth and transfer everything to a food processor. Add the tomatoes and blend until smooth. Pour the soup back into the pan and add the remaining broth. Simmer over low heat while you prepare the sandwiches.
4. Lightly butter 1 side of each slice of bread. Assemble the sandwiches with cheese and grill until the cheese is melted and the bread is crispy.
5. Add sour cream to tomato soup and serve in shallow bowls, sprinkled with chives, with hot cheese sandwiches.