Roasted tomato and courgette soup
During the Summer one of my favourite soups is tomato soup – from rustic to delicate versions, I love them all! I normally make this roasted tomato and courgette soup a day ahead when I’m roasting or baking something else in the oven. The next day I just add the stock and fresh herbs and voilà lunch is done. If you don’t add too much stock (or any) to the roasted veggies, you’ll get a thick sauce that’s perfect for pizzas, pastas, pastries, pies, spag bol and so on. Actually, I normally keep half of it for sauce and make half of it into this soup.
Ingredients
Method
- Turn the oven on to 180°C.
- Cut the tomatoes in half, then place them in a large baking tray, cut-side facing upwards.
- Peel and cut the onion into 6 wedges. Chop the carrot into 2 cm pieces. Chop the courgette into 3 cm pieces. Arrange these around the tomatoes, together with the garlic cloves (unpeeled, but slightly squashed).
- Add the thyme leaves. Drizzle with the oil and vinegar, then season with salt and pepper. Toss well, then bake for 25-30 minutes, until the vegetables have softened. Set aside in a bowl, if you’re not making the soup immediately.
- Discard the skin of the garlic cloves. Transfer the veggies to a saucepan, including the cooking jus. Add the stock and bring the boil. Cook for 5 minutes and add the basil.
- Using a stick-blender, whiz the soup until you get a smooth texture. Add more stock if the soup is too thick and reheat.
- Serve warm with a squeeze of lemon juice and freshly ground pepper.