Roasted Tomato Soup

The tomatoes here benefit from a low and slow roast with aromatics that really draws out their best flavour. I find this one of the best way to make soups, because there’s minimal chopping and the cooking time is mostly passive so you can get other tasks done while the oven does all the work.

I thinks this recipe is also easy to riff-on. I used mid-sized Campari tomatoes, but I think cherry tomatoes or a mix of a few different varieties would work too. I added in coconut cream to give the soup some creamy richness, but heavy cream, creme fraiche would likely work too. Next time, I think I’ll try tossing in a chopped up red bell pepper and adding in a pinch of red pepper flakes, because I willed definitely be making this soup again!

makes 4-6 servings

4 tbsp olive oil

1 head garlic, halfed crosswise

4 shallots, peeled and sliced in half lengthwise

1 3/4 lb (680g) Campari, cherry or grape tomatoes

1 bunch thyme

1 bunch basil

salt

pepper

1/2 cup vegetable or chicken stock

2 tbsp coconut cream, plus more for topping

Preheat oven to 300 F. In a 13 x 9 - inch roasting, combine olive oil, garlic, shallots and tomatoes. Toss in oil to coat. Lay thyme and basil on top and season well with salt and pepper.
Roast on middle rack of oven 60-70 minutes until tomatoes are starting to burst and are very soft, and shallots are tender. Remove thyme and basil and discard. Allow to cool slightly.
Transfer tomatoes, garlic and shallots along with oil and juices in pan to a high-power blender or food processor. Pour in stock and coconut cream. Remove plug from blender lid and cover opening with a tea towel to allow steam to escape. Blend well on medium-high until very smooth. Check for seasoning and add more salt and pepper as needed.
Place in an air-tight container and store in the fridge for up to 1 week, or freeze for up to 3 months.