Roasted Tomato Soup

Homemade tomato soup with a grilled cheese sandwich

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 1 hour 

Blend time: 5 minutes

Total time: 1 hour 20 minutes 

Serves 6

Ingredients

1.5kg sweet tomatoes, halved 

1 brown onion, peeled and cut into quarters 

1 red capsicum, deseeded and sliced  into chunks 

2-3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 

1 whole garlic bulb 

2 French shallots, peeled and left whole  

¼ cup fresh basil leaves 

2 cups warm chicken broth

3-5 anchovy fillets

Sea salt flakes 

Cracked black pepper 

1 tsp caster sugar (optional)

To serve

Drizzle of cream

Fresh basil 

Grilled cheese sandwich or buttered toast 

Method

Preheat the fan oven to 180°C. Slice the top eighth portion of the garlic bulb off. Place in foil, along with the peeled shallots. Drizzle generously with oil, then sprinkle with sea salt. Wrap tightly, then place in the preheated oven to roast for 1 hour, or until very soft. 

Meanwhile, arrange the tomatoes cut side up, onion and capsicum in a large lined baking tray in a single layer. Generously drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt. 

Roast in the oven for 30-40 minutes, until the tomatoes are softened and they have released their juices. Set aside to cool until the garlic and shallots are ready.

When cool enough to handle, peel the skin off the capsicum slices and squeeze the garlic from its skin. Place the roasted vegetables and tomato juices in the Vitamix container, along with the warm chicken stock, anchovy fillets and fresh basil leaves. 

Start the blender at its lowest speed, then quickly increase to its highest speed. Blend for 3-5 minutes, until smooth. Depending on the sweetness of your tomatoes, you may want to blend in a teaspoon of caster sugar if necessary. 

Pour the soup into a large pot and simmer until hot. Drizzle with a little cream and garnish with basil leaves and a cracked pepper. Serve with a grilled cheese sandwich or well buttered toast.