Roasted tomato soup

Serves 4-6 You will need:

900g ripe tomatoes (about 8), halved 4 large cloves of garlic, unpeeled 3 sprigs of fresh basil or fresh parsley 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper A pinch of sugar (see my Top Tip, above right) 1 onion, peeled and thickly sliced 600ml chicken or vegetable stock 50ml cream

To serve, you will need:

Basil pesto or parsley pesto

1

Preheat the oven to 200˚C, 400˚F, Gas 6. Arrange the tomato halves, cut-side up, in a single layer on a baking tray. Scatter over the unpeeled cloves of garlic and the fresh basil or fresh parsley sprigs, whichever you’re using. Drizzle over 2 tablespoons of the extra-virgin olive oil and season well with sea salt, freshly ground black pepper and a pinch of sugar. Roast the tomatoes and garlic in the oven for 35-40 minutes or until they are softened.

2

While the tomatoes are roasting, pour the remaining 2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil into a saucepan sitting over a medium heat. Add in the onion slices, seasoning with some sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, then cover with a lid, turn the heat down low and allow the onions to cook gently until they are completely soft — about 8-10 minutes.

3

Once the tomatoes are cooked, remove the roasted garlic from the tray. Squeeze all the roasted garlic from their skins into the tray. Then tip the entire contents of the baking tray, including any juices, into the saucepan containing the cooked onions. Add the chicken or vegetable stock, whichever you are using, and blend until smooth, then pour the soup back into the saucepan.

4

Bring the soup to the boil, add the cream, reduce the heat and simmer for a few minutes, then taste for seasoning, adding more sea salt and freshly ground black pepper if necessary. Ladle the soup into bowls and drizzle with basil pesto or parsley pesto, whichever you’re using.