Roasted Tomato Soup with Fresh Tomatoes and Basil

Ingredients Soup

few sprigs of Fresh Thyme

Olive Oil, as needed

Instructions: Preheat oven to 400F/204C.

Slice your tomatoes in half and evenly place them flesh side up on a suitably sized tray. Generously season with salt and pepper, then flip over. Chuck on your garlic and thyme, drizzle with olive oil and pop in the oven for 25-30mins or until wilted and lightly charred.

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a suitably sized pot over medium heat and add the onion. Fry until it just begins to catch colour, then turn heat to low and gently continue frying until caramelized. Use this time wisely to cook the onions low and slow to bring out their natural sweetness. Add tomato puree and fry for a minute or so, then deglaze with balsamic vinegar.

Pop the garlic out of the skins and remove the thyme from the tray. Pour everything (including the juices) into the pot with the onions. Add stock and basil, then leave to simmer with the lid on for a good 30mins (can simmer longer for deeper flavour, just make sure the lid is on so the soup doesn’t reduce).

Blitz using a hand blender and test for seasoning. Add the sugar and stir well. If you prefer a thinner texture then gradually add more stock. To thicken just simmer with the lid off.

Notes: a) Best Tomatoes for Soup - Roma tomatoes work great, as do vine tomatoes and plum tomatoes. In any case just make sure they’re nice and ripe, if they’re under ripe (green tinges) they’ll be slightly bitter and throw off the flavour.

b) What to serve with Tomato Soup? - I like bread n butter, grilled cheese sandwich c) How to garnish a Tomato Soup? - Ideas include: a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, a sprig of thyme, a pinch of cayenne pepper/chilli flakes, cracked black pepper or a small drizzle of cream.

d) Do I have to fry the tomato puree? - The change in taste after you cook off tomato puree is crazy. Really enhances that deep tomato flavour. Once you’ve fried it just make sure you deglaze the pan. Here I use a small splash of balsamic vinegar.

e) Roasting Tomatoes - If you’ve got time, then lower the temp and cook longer for a deeper caramelization of the tomatoes. This will really intensify the flavours.

f) Caramelizing the onions - It’s important to cook the onions slow n slow to really caramelize them. You want that sweet, buttery goodness.

g) Roasted Garlic - I have actually be known to put a whole large bulb of garlic in this (because I love the stuff). Roasting the garlic actually takes the pungency out of and it turns it sweet, so don’t be afraid to chuck in an extra few cloves and create a delicious roasted tomato and garlic soup. If you’re at all weary though just stick with 3-4cloves, you’ll definitely still be able to taste it.