30/07/2014

A great seasonal soup as tomatoes are so plentiful at the moment

Ingredients

4 peppers – halved and with seeds removed

4 tomatoes

4 cloves garlic

Handful of basil leaves

2 onions – finely chopped

2 shallots – finely chopped

4 cloves garlic – finely chopped

200g/7oz cherry tomatoes

125ml/4floz tomato juice

1.2 litres/2pt homemade vegetable stock

6-8 shredded basil leaves

1-2 tsp low fat fromage

Method

Place the peppers, tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, basil and the whole cloves of garlic in a foil parcel and roast in the oven @ 200˚C/Gas Mark 6 for 45 minutes until the flesh of the peppers has completely broken down and softened.

Take out of the oven, discard the garlic and skin the peppers & tomatoes. Drain the cooking juices and reserve in a separate bowl.

In a large saucepan dry fry the onions, shallots, garlic and roasted peppers and tomatoes.

Cook for 5-6 minutes until the onion becomes soft.

Add the tomato juice, stock and cooking juices from the peppers and simmer gently for 12-15 minutes. Whiz the soup in a blender and return it to the saucepan. Re-heat and serve with a swirl of fromage frais mixed with some shredded basil.