roasted tomato and basil soup

10 Large tomatoes, sliced in half.
I large brown onion, sliced finely
1 Large Carrot, sliced finely
3 Tablespoons, extra virgin olive oil
2 Cloves garlic, crushed
1 Celery stick, chopped finely
2 Tablespoons fresh basil leaves, finely sliced.
1 tin of crushed tomatoes, 425g
250ml vegetable stock
Salt and Pepper to taste
3 tablespoons, thicken cream

How to make the soup:

Preheat the oven to 180°C (175°F). Line a baking tin with paper and place the sliced tomatoes skin side-up. Drizzle the tomatoes with 2 tablespoons of the oil. Roast for 30 minutes (its okay to brown the skins as this will add a slight smoky flavour).

In a soup pan, add the remainder of the oil. When hot, add the onion and garlic then sauté for 3 minutes. Add the carrot, celery and basil then sauté for a further 5 minutes. Add the roasted tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, vegetable stock and season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring all to the boil, then simmer covered for a further 20 minutes.

Transfer sections of the soup into a blender and on a medium speed blend the soup mixture together (you will need an extra pan for the liquid transfer). Transfer the liquid back to its original pan and simmer for a further 15 minutes. Remove the soup from the heat and mix through the thicken cream until well combine.