Roast Tomato Soup

Ingredients

1 kg ripe tomatoes

1 red onion chunkily chopped

2 cloves of garlic, chunkily chopped

1 packet of fresh basil

200ml vegetable stock

2 tbsp Olive oil

1 slice of bread

Method

1. Half all the tomatoes and place in a roasting tray. Add 1 tbsp of olive oil, red onion, garlic and basil (leave stalks on).
2. Place in a very hot oven, 200 degrees celsius until very well roasted, even partly charred.
3. Remove the roasted tomato mix from the oven.
4. In a saucepan heat the vegetable stock. When the stock has come to the boil add the roast tomato contents from the roasting tray. Return to the boil. Turn down to simmer for 10 mins.
5. To make the croutons, cut the bread into 1cm cubes and fry in 1 tbsp of olive oil, remove when lightly golden.
6. Remove tomato soup from the heat. Using a stick blender blitz until you have a fine creamy puree.
7. Taste for seasoning. Add plenty of ground black pepper and some salt if needed.
8. Ladle into soup bowl. Sprinkle with croutons. Decorate with a leaf of basil