Читать книгу Kitchen Hero: Great Food for Less - Donal Skehan - Страница 9

ROASTED TOMATO & GARLIC SOUP

A good tomato soup is a fantastic recipe to have in your repertoire. By roasting the tomatoes for this soup you end up with really intense flavours, and even if you can’t get your hands on the best tomatoes, roasting really transforms them into something special.

SERVES 4 (V)

900g (2lb) tomatoes, sliced in half

2 garlic bulbs, tops sliced off

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

2 tbsp olive oil

4 large thyme sprigs, leaves picked off

1 large onion, peeled and finely sliced

2 celery stalks, trimmed and finely chopped

1 carrot, peeled and finely chopped

2 tbsp tomato purée

1 litre (1¾ pints) vegetable stock

Sea salt and ground black pepper

Crusty bread and extra-virgin olive oil, to serve

Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F), Gas Mark 6. Lay the tomatoes cut-side up in a large roasting tin and nuzzle the garlic bulbs in with them. (Make sure to use a big-enough roasting tin to allow the tomatoes to roast rather than stew – if it’s too small they won’t caramelise on the outsides. If required, use two roasting tins and swap shelves in the oven halfway through the cooking time.) Drizzle with the balsamic vinegar and 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Sprinkle with the thyme leaves, sea salt and ground black pepper.

Place in the oven and roast for 45 minutes or until the tomatoes have shrunk and are slightly caramelised on the outside and the garlic is soft and mushy. Remove from the oven and set aside while you prepare the base of the soup.

Place a large cooking pot over a high heat and add the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add the onion, celery and carrot and fry for 1 minute, stirring every now and then. Reduce the heat to medium and cook for 6 minutes until tender. Add the tomato purée and stock and bring to a steady simmer.

Squeeze the cloves from the roasted garlic bulbs and add them to the soup, along with the roasted tomatoes and their juices. Simmer for 25 minutes until the carrot is completely tender. Season to taste with sea salt and ground black pepper. Using a hand blender or in a food processor, blitz the soup until completely smooth.

Serve the soup warm in deep bowls with some crusty bread and drizzle a little extra-virgin olive oil on the top.