Roasted Tomato and Basil Garden Soup

Recipe Notes

• Prep: 15 minutes
• Cook: 45 minutes
• Serves: 4
• Best season: Late summer

Ingredients

• 1.2 kg ripe tomatoes, halved
• 1 red onion, sliced
• 4 garlic cloves, unpeeled
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 600 ml vegetable stock
• A small handful of basil
• 1 tsp sugar, if needed
• Salt and black pepper

Method

1. Heat the oven to 190 C. Put the tomatoes, onion and garlic on a tray. Add olive oil, salt and pepper.
2. Roast for 35 minutes until the tomatoes slump and char at the edges.
3. Squeeze the garlic from its skins and tip everything into a pan. Add the stock and simmer for 10 minutes.
4. Blend until smooth, then stir in the basil. Taste before adding sugar.
5. Serve with bread, olive oil and a few torn basil leaves.

From my cottage notebook

Tomatoes are bossy in the best way. When they are ripe, I try not to interfere too much. Roast them, blend them, and let lunch be lunch.