Roast Tomato, Basil and Courgette Soup

Ingredients (serves 4-6)

 

3-4 tbsp olive oil

300g Courgettes

1kg fresh tomatoes

2 small florence onions

1 large clove of garlic, crushed

Pinch of chilli flakes (optional)

500ml stock (chicken or vegetable)

Couple of good handfuls of fresh basil

Salt and pepper

 

Method

 

Roughly chop the courgettes and one of the onions.  Place in a roasting tray with the tomatoes and drizzle over 2 tablespoons of olive oil.  Place in an oven at 200C for 40-50 mins or as long as necessary to allow the vegetables to start to brown and become soft.  Remove from the oven and set aside.

 

Meanwhile chop the other onion, heat the remaining olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat and fry the onion for 5-10 mins until soft.  Add the garlic

And chilli flakes, if using, and continue to fry for another couple of minutes.

 

Add the oven roasted vegetables to the pan along with the stock.  Bring to the boil and then reduce to a simmer for 10 mins.  Using a hand blender, puree the soup to your desired consistency (I prefer a bit of texture to remain but you may like a smoother soup).  Add in basil and blitz a bit more to combine in to the soup.

 

Serve with extra basil if you like or even with a spoon of homemade pesto stirred in.