Chilled -tomato soup

Ingredients•

800g/1lb 8½oz plum tomatoes, roughly chopped

•1 red pepper, halved, de-seeded, roughly chopped

•2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped

•3 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for drizzling

•1 litre/1¾pints vegetable stock

•1 small bunch fresh basil leaves, torn

•4 slices French bread, toasted
Preparation methodPreheat the oven to 220C/430F/Gas 7.

Place the tomatoes and pepper into a roasting tin and drizzle over the olive oil. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, then roast in the oven for 45 minutes, or until the tomatoes are soft and their skins lightly blackened in places.

Pour the vegetable stock into the roasting tin with the vegetables and scatter over the basil leaves. Place the tin over a medium heat and bring to the boil, cooking for 1-2 minutes.

Allow the mixture to cool, then pour into a food processor, reserving a quarter of the vegetables, and blend until smooth. Chop the reserved tomato and pepper.

Season the soup with salt and freshly ground black pepper and transfer to the fridge for 20-30 minutes to chill.

To serve, pile the chopped vegetables into the centre of four serving bowls and spoon the soup around. Place the toasted French bread on top, and drizzle over some olive oil. Serve