Recipe - Details - Soups

Roasted Tomato Soup With Basil Oil

The tomatoes are roasted to intensify their flavour and blended with roast onions and garlic to make a rich, flavoursome soup. Basil oil drizzled over the soup in serving bowls provides a delicious contrast in colour, texture and flavour.

Ingredients

For The Soup

• 4 medium onions, unpeeled and halved
• 1 bulb garlic, split into cloves and unpeeled
• 1 kg (2 lb 4 oz) tomatoes, halved
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• salt and pepper

For The Basil Oil

• 15 g (½ oz) fresh basil, washed and dried
• 8 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• A pinch of salt

Method

1. Preheat the oven to Gas Mark 6/200°C/400°F. Put the onions, garlic and tomatoes in a roasting tray, add the oil, vinegar, sugar and seasoning and toss together. Roast for 45 minutes or until soft and blackened at the edges.
2. Meanwhile make the basil oil. Put the basil and olive oil in the liquidiser or in the bowl fitted with the knife blade. Process until very smooth. Strain the oil through a fine sieve and pour into a bottle.
3. Remove the vegetables from the oven, allow to cool slightly then peel the onions and garlic. Put the roasted -vegetables in the liquidiser with 400 ml (14 fl oz) water and blend until smooth.
4. Pour the soup into a pan and gently heat through, check the seasoning and add more sugar if needed. Pour into 4 serving dishes and serve drizzled with the basil oil.

Cook's Note

The basil oil will keep for up to one week in a cool, dark place.

Cooks Note

Fresh coriander and parsley work just as well in this recipe to make the flavoured oil.