Genius Tomato Soup

I am completely shameless about my prowess at making soup.  I am a genius.  And obviously not humble about it in any way.  I also loooooove soup.  A lot.  Usually I don't like tomatoes, but it was time to break the mold and create the perfect tomato soup.  And I did.

Tomato Soup

Ingredients
1 tablespoon butter
1 red onion
1/2 leek
700gm tomatoes (approx.  I had a baggie of them)
Olive oil
Fresh basil
1 clove garlic
1 pinch ground chili
1 pinch cayenne pepper
Bay leaf
50mls cream
Salt and pepper
2 cups vegetable stock

1.  In an oven proof dish, roast the tomatoes whole.  Drizzle with olive oil, salt, pepper, crushed garlic clove, and a sprig of basil at 180 degrees until the skins split and the tomatoes are soft.  Allow to cool a little, then remove the skins. 

Tomatoes all ready for roasting

2.  Roughly chop the onion and leek.  In a soup pan, melt butter, then cook the onion and leek on a low heat until they are clear.  Add the tomatoes and the juices from the roasting.  Throw away the garlic clove.

Roasted tomatoes ready to join the leeks and onion

3.  Add chilli, cayenne pepper, salt, pepper and the bay leaf to the pot.  Throw in a handful of basil leaves.  Allow to cook until fragrant and the basil wilted. 

4.  Add the stock and boil.  Taste.  Season with salt and pepper to your desire.  Remove the bay leaf.

All in the pot, doing its thing.

5.  Blitz the soup with a blender.  I love my stick blender, its like the greatest thing ever.

6.  When smooth and boiling, turn the heat off.  Add the cream and stir.

Serve with Parmesan cheese.  I love cheese.