Roasted-Tomato Soup

Tomato soup is the essential taste of childhood for so many who were raised on Campbell’s classic version. Since I didn’t grow up with it I never craved it, but then one of my cooks, Sammy, developed a version of this recipe to go with our grilled cheese sandwich special. It was an instant hit with customers (and with me). The roasting intensifies the tomato flavor, while the fennel adds a barely detectable note of anise.