Tomato Bisque with Cheese Toasts

Veggie Wednesday.  I got a call from the doctor today and she said I need to watch my cholesterol. So what do I eat that is fatty?  Duck, cheese, pate... Hmm...so we are watching the fatty food intake.  So one day a week I'm going to attempt to cut out the meat.  We'll see how that goes.  

Tomato Bisque with Cheese Toast

During the winter and when the temperature is in the 30's, it is time for soup.  I have  gone out to eat and ordered bisque and loved it.  So I found this recipe to do bisque and now I find out it is not hard at all. 

Adapted from Fine Cooking
Serves two.
For the bisque:

2 Tbs. olive oil
1 small onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp dried thyme
1 can (28 oz.) crushed tomatoes in purée
1-1/2 cups low-salt chicken broth
3 Tbs. honey
1-1/2 tsp. coarse salt; more to taste
1/4 tsp. finely ground black pepper; more to taste
1/3 cup heavy cream
2 Tbs. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley (optional)

For the toasts:

1 load french bread
1 Tbs. Dijon mustard
4 to 6 slices cheese (I used Muenster)
1 Tbs. grated Parmesan

In a medium pot, heat the oil. Add the onion and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until tender and lightly browned on the edges, about 7 min. Add the garlic and thyme; stir until fragrant, about 1 min. Add the tomatoes, broth, honey, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer, stirring frequently, until reduced by a quarter and thickened, about 15 min. Using a stand or immersion blender, purée about half the soup; it will be still be chunky and thick. Return it to the pot and stir in the cream. Heat gently and adjust the seasonings. Ladle into bowls, sprinkle with the parsley if using, and serve immediately.

Arrange an oven rack to the highest rung and heat the broiler on high. Line a baking sheet with foil. Slice the bread into one inch slices.  Put the bread on the foil and toast each side until golden brown. Spread the mustard evenly on one side of each toast, cover with the cheese, and sprinkle with the Parmesan.

Slide the toasts back under the broiler and cook until bubbling and lightly browned on top, about 2 min. Cut each toast in half and serve immediately with the soup.