Tomato Soup with Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

Tomato Soup

• 4 garlic cloves
  or 4 cloves roasted garlic, homemade
• 2 ½ oz shallots in pieces
  or 2 ½ oz yellow onions in pieces
• ½ oz extra virgin olive oil
• 18 oz ripe tomatoes quartered (see Tip)
• ½ oz tomato paste
• 8 - 12 oz vegetable stock (optional)
• ½ - 1 tsp smoked paprika to taste
• 1 - 2 tsp sugar to taste
• 1 tsp salt to taste
• ½ tsp ground black pepper to taste
  or ¼ tsp white pepper to taste
• 6 fresh basil leaves plus extra to garnish

Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

• 8 oz aged sharp cheddar cheese cut into pieces
• 8 slices sourdough bread
• 2 - 4 tbsp unsalted butter to fry
• dried red chili flakes to garnish