This is my go-to thick tomato soup: a mass of vine tomatoes concentrated by roasting, accentuated by honey, chilli and balsamic vinegar.
SERVES 4
1.5kg vine tomatoes, cores cut out, halved
1 medium-hot red chilli, core and seeds discarded, halved lengthways
Approx 5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
1 generous tsp runny honey
Sea salt
2 tsp balsamic vinegar
150g baby plum or small cherry tomatoes
A handful of basil leaves
4 thin slices of toast, eg rye sourdough, drizzled with extra virgin olive oil
- Preheat the oven to 240C/220C fan/gas 9. Arrange the vine tomatoes cut-side up in a large roasting dish in a crowded layer, tucking in the chilli halves. Pour over 2 tbsp oil and the honey, season with salt and roast for 20 minutes.
- Using a blender, purée the contents of the roasting dish in batches with another couple of tablespoons of oil and the vinegar until smooth, then taste for seasoning.
- To serve, heat a medium nonstick frying pan over a high heat, trickle a teaspoon of oil over the base and fry the baby tomatoes for about 3 minutes until blackened in patches and the skins have split, then stir in the basil to wilt for about 15 seconds.
- Divide the soup between four bowls, spoon the baby tomatoes and basil into the centre of each one, then drizzle over a little more oil. Use the toast to dip into the soup and scoop up the tomatoes as you eat.
