Ultimate Tomato Soup And Big Batch Fancy Grilled Cheese

Preheat oven to 425°F. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven overmedium-high. Add onion, carrots, and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt; cook, stirring often, until vegetables are golden brown around edges, 10 to 12 minutes. Add garlic, ginger, cayenne pepper, and thyme; cook, stirring often, until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Stir tomatoes and sugar into Dutch oven. Bring to a simmer over medium-high. Cook, stirring often, until slightly thickened, about 10 minutes. Add vegetable stock, and bring to a simmer over medium-high. Cook, stirring occasionally, until flavors meld, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Discard thyme sprigs.

Process tomato mixture using an immersion blender until smooth, about 1 minute. (Alternatively, working in 2 batches, ladle tomato mixture into a blender. Secure lid on blender, and remove center piece to allow steam to escape. Place a towel over opening, and process until smooth, about 30 seconds. Return to Dutch oven.) Stir in 1/2 cup of the cream and remaining 2 teaspoons salt. For a creamier consistency, add up to 1/4 cup additional cream.

Cut split baguette in half crosswise; arrange halves side by side and cut sides up on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Hollow out bread from rounded top halves of baguette. Spread pepper jelly evenly over cut sides of baguette. Stuff cheeses evenly into hollowed-out baguette halves. If needed, place some of the cheese on bottom baguette halves.

Bake in preheated oven until cheese is melted, 10 to 12 minutes. Carefully place top baguette halves, cheese side down, over bottom baguette halves. Cut each half crosswise into 4 slices for a total of 8 sandwiches. Serve warm with soup.