Smoked Tomato Soup - Ingredients:

• 2 tsp. apple smoking chips
• 1 lb. plum tomatoes, halved lengthwise
• 6 Tbs. olive oil
• Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
• 6 slices country-style bread, each 1" thick and cut into 1" cubes
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 1/2 tsp. sweet paprika
• 1/3 cup sherry
• 1/3 cup fresh orange juice
• 4 cups chicken stock
• 2 cans (each 14.5 oz.) diced tomatoes with juices
• Pinch of cayenne pepper
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1/4 cup sour cream

Heat a stovetop smoker on the stovetop over medium-high heat. Put the smoking chips in the bottom of the smoking pan, reduce the heat to medium-low and place the rack in the smoker.

In a bowl, stir together the tomatoes, 1 Tbs. of the olive oil, salt and pepper. Place the tomatoes, cut sides up, on the smoker rack. Cover and smoke for 15 minutes. Transfer the tomatoes to a bowl and let cool, then remove and discard the skins.

Preheat an oven to 350°F.

In a bowl, stir together the bread cubes, 3 Tbs. of the oil, salt and pepper. Spread the bread cubes out on a baking sheet and bake until golden, about 10 minutes. Set the croutons aside.

In a soup pot over medium heat, warm the remaining 2 Tbs. oil. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the paprika and cook for 2 minutes. Increase the heat to medium-high, add the sherry and orange juice, and cook until reduced to 3 Tbs., about 10 minutes. Add the smoked tomatoes, the stock, canned tomatoes with juices and cayenne. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes.

Using an immersion blender, puree the soup until smooth. Pass the soup through a chinois into a clean pot, pressing firmly on the solids. Set the pot over low heat, add the croutons and let stand for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Using the immersion blender, puree the soup until smooth. Taste and adjust the seasonings with salt and pepper.