Roasted Tomato and Fennel Soup

Move over Campbells, there is a new tomato soup in town! Roasting your tomatoes for this soup intensifies the sweet, caramelized flavour, elevating this soup to a whole new level. This soup is elegant enough for a dinner party but casual enough for a cold winter’s day lunch, with grilled cheese of course.

Roasting tomatoes in general is a really good way to use up any leftover fruit before it goes bad. Whether they are big or small, toss them with oil and bake them for about an hour until they’ve reduced in size and look golden in colour. They will keep well in an air tight container in the fridge for up to a week.

Roasted Tomato and Fennel Soup

Makes 3 Litres (serves 6-8) Great for freezing!

 Ingredients

6 vine tomatoes, halved

1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves

4 tbsp olive oil, divided

2 tbsp unsalted butter

1 large yellow onion, diced

1 small fennel bulb, core and green stalks removed*, roughly chopped

4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1 tsp red chili flakes

1 28-oz can of San Marzano tomatoes, crushed by hand

1 litre good quality low-sodium chicken or vegetable stock

1 cup fresh basil leaves

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

 Method

1. Preheat the oven to 375F. Line a baking tray with parchment paper. Toss the tomato halves with 2 tbsp of olive oil, thyme leaves and a good pinch of salt and pepper. Roast for 1 hour until softened and slightly caramelized.

2. Meanwhile, heat the remaining olive oil and butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and fennel, cooking for 15 minutes until softened and slightly golden. Add the garlic and chili flakes, cooking for a further 2-3 minutes until fragrant.

3. Add the roasted tomatoes, canned tomatoes and stock (or water). Bring to the boil then reduce to a simmer. Add about a teaspoon of kosher salt and half a teaspoon of black pepper along with the basil leaves.

4. Cover slightly and cook for about 45 minutes, or until sightly reduced. Let the soup cool for about an hour, or best overnight.

5. Once cool, blend until smooth with an immersion blender or in a high-speed blender in batches. Gently reheat the soup and season if needed. Drizzle with a good glug of olive oil and black pepper (or freshly grated parmesan cheese).