Tomato soup

'everyone likes tomato soup'

It's hard to beat Heinz tomato soup for pure comfort food. But sometimes you want something lighter and more complex it's a bit spicy, a warming and satisfying meal.  i am in support of a soup being a full meal, enough bread makes it filling. make plenty because leftovers make a good base for other dishes, pasta sauce, chili even as the tomato base of a curry. 

Roast tomato soup 
Mixed tomatoes (some cherry, some plumb, some salad, heirlooms also welcome as many as you can fit in  your oven)
Red onion (chopped finely but don't kill yourself we'll be blending)
Garlic (about 6 or 7 cloves)
Red chili (one of the big fruity ones not too spicy)
Basil (a supermarket bunch)
Balsamic vinegar (a glug)
Vegetable stock (home made if you have it if not a cube is good)
olive oil

1.  Cut and roast your tomatoes in olive oil, include the garlic cloves and chili at this point. you  want       to take this quite far a good dark roast.

2.  Saute the red onions in a little oil on a medium heat in your soup pot until they soften but don't           take on any color. add the balsamic vinegar and cook it gently down.   

3.  When the balsamic vinegar has nearly cooked away add the roast tomatoes and let simmer for             about five minuets before blending the lot (either in a blender or using a stick blender)

4.  Add stock to get the consistency you want. I prefer it quite thick, like custard, but it's really up to         you, my Grampa used to insist on a thin soup for example. 

5.  Season after blending, add a chiffonade of basil



Serve with an abundance of cheese on toast or with filled pasta for a more substantial meal.