Creamy Tomato Soup

Method

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1. Toss the tomatoes, pepper, onion and unpeeled garlic with the olive oil, sugar, salt and oregano, and spread cut-side up on a large tray.

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2. Roast at 200°C / 390°F for 35 to 40 minutes, until the edges are blackened in places and the tomatoes have collapsed.

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3. Squeeze the garlic out of its skins and scrape everything, including every sticky bit from the tray, into a pot.

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4. Add the stock, bring to a simmer and cook 10 minutes.

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5. Stir in the bicarbonate of soda — it will foam briefly — and simmer 2 minutes. This softens the acidity.

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6. Blend until completely smooth, then pass through a sieve if you want a truly velvety texture.

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7. Return to low heat, stir in the cream and most of the basil, and warm through without boiling.

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8. Season with black pepper, then serve with a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil and the remaining basil torn over.

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Chef’s Tips

• Out of season, use two 400 g tins of good plum tomatoes and roast them the same way — it works remarkably well.
• Do not skip scraping the tray. The caramelised residue is where the depth lives.
• For a vegan version, replace the cream with 3 tablespoons of cashew butter blended in.

Common Substitutions & Variations

• Double cream won't whip if you swap it, but for the cooking itself, full-fat crème fraîche or a lower-fat single cream works in its place.
• An eighth of a teaspoon of garlic powder per clove is the usual stand-in when you are out of fresh garlic — it will not caramelise the same way, but it carries the flavour.
• Fresh herbs work in place of the dried oregano at roughly three times the quantity — a teaspoon of dried is about a tablespoon of fresh, chopped.

Pairing Suggestions

• A glass of red or, traditionally, none at all
• Serve with grilled cheese for dunking
• Follow with a green salad

Storage & Reheating

Refrigerate 4 days, freeze 3 months without the cream, adding it fresh on reheating.

Common questions

Nutritional Highlights

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.