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Roast Vegetable and Basil Soup

Recipe serves: 4

A Little Background

This is not so much a recipe as a guideline, as every time I make it, it is slightly different depending on what's in the fridge. The quantities however stay the same but allow your imagination to run when making this soup. I know that personally I enjoy the different flavours every time I make it.

What you'll need

2 x 400 g tins of whole peeled tomatoes
4 cloves of garlic
2 onions
300 grams (11 oz) solid roasting vegetable (pumpkin, sweet potato etc)
200 grams (7 oz) softer roasting veg (zucchini, squash, mushrooms etc)
6 sprigs rosemary
3 cups chicken or vegetable stock
2 tbsps chopped basil leaves
Blue cheese
Extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt flakes
Black pepper corn mill

Chefspencil.com - Roast Vegetable and Basil Soup

What to do

Preheat oven to 180 degrees (350 fahrenheit).
Peel and roughly chop the solid roasting vegetables and cover liberally with olive oil, a pinch of salt and pepper and roast for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile roughly chop the softer roasting veg.
Peel the onion and garlic and dice finely.
After the solid vegetables have been in for 30 minutes turn them and add the softer vegetables after tossing them in oil, roast a further 40 minutes.
Meanwhile in a large pot over medium heat, soften the onion and garlic in a splash of olive oil until soft.
Add the tinned tomatoes and the stock.
Tie the rosemary sprigs together and leaving one length of string long, tie it to the handle of the pot.
Bring the contents of the pot to boil and then reduce to simmer.
Once the vegetables have roasted remove them from the oven and add to the pot and simmer for 3 hours (you may need to add some water over those hours as the soup may dry up slightly).
Once it has all cooked for the 3 hours, using a stick blender or a food processor puree until the soup is a smoother consistency (although not too long as you want to maintain a slightly chunky consistency).
Serve with crusty bread on the side and crumbled blue cheese and chopped basil on top.

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Recipe By Paul Hegeman
Styling By Paul Hegeman
Photography By Jason Hamilton
© Chef's Pencil 2007