Smoky Tomato Soup

• 1kg ripe Bord Bia Quality Mark tomatoes
• 2 onions, cut into thin wedges (skin still on)
• 1 bulb garlic, broken into cloves (not peeled)
• 1 large red chilli
• 2-3 fresh rosemary sprigs
• 1 tablesp. balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablesp. rapeseed or olive oil
• 600ml vegetable or chicken stock (from cubes is fine)
• 4 tablesp. cream
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

instruction

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F) Gas mark 4. Place the tomatoes onions and chilli in a roasting tin lined with non-stick baking parchment and scatter over the garlic cloves and tuck in the rosemary sprigs. Drizzle with the balsamic vinegar and oil. Season with salt and pepper and roast for about 40 minutes until everything is slightly caramelised but not burnt.
2. Remove the vegetables from the oven and discard the rosemary as it has done its job. Leave until cool enough to handle, then put the tomatoes in a pan with the onions, discarding the skins. Squeeze in the soft garlic cloves. Cut the chilli in half, discarding the seeds and add the flesh to the pan. Pour in the stock.
3. Blitz the soup with a hand-held stick blender and season to taste. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer gently for 10-15 minutes until slightly reduced and nicely thickened, stirring occasionally. Ladle into bowls and swirl in the cream, then garnish with croutons and black pepper to serve.