When you roast tomatoes, they become soft and sweet and are just delicious in this soup. It’s a bit like a winter version of a Gazpacho and leaves you with a really fresh and satisfied feeling. It’s a great starter in the winter, rustic and chunky. (4 to 6 people)

What you need

12 – 14 ripe tomatoes halved
1 whole head garlic
2 medium onions
1 liter water
2 vegetable stock cubes
Palm of chopped fresh basil
Palm of chopped fresh mint
Salt and black pepper

The process

On a baking tray, place the tomatoes, garlic head and onions, drizzle over a little olive oil and roast at 160 Celsius for about 45 minutes until the garlic and onions are light brown.

Peel the onions and chop them roughly. Squeeze the garlic out of the skins. Chop up the tomatoes, half roughly and half as finely as you can.

In a large pot, add the vegetable stock, garlic, tomatoes and onions and bring to the boil, reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. If you have a hand blender and want it a little less chunky, just give it a few short bursts in the pot.

Add the basil and mint and season with salt and pepper and let it simmer for another 5 minutes.

Serve with warm garlic bread.

Fantastic and well worth the effort.