1.4 kilograms ripe tomatoes, halved
3 red bell peppers, seeded and quartered
1 medium yellow onion, cut in wedges
1 head garlic, top sliced off
4 tablespoons olive oil
1.5 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoons smoked paprika
0.3 teaspoons red pepper flakes
500 milliliters vegetable or chicken stock
0.5 cups basil leaves
1 tablespoons sherry vinegar
60 milliliters heavy cream or crème fraîche (optional)
Hard-roasted tomatoes, peppers, onion, and garlic blended into a smoky, sweet soup with a sherry vinegar finish.
1. Heat oven to 230°C / 450°F. Spread 1.4 kilograms ripe tomatoes (Romas or mixed), halved cut-side up, 3 red bell peppers, seeded and quartered skin-side up, and 1 medium yellow onion, cut in wedges on two sheet pans. Drizzle 1 head garlic, top sliced off with a little oil, wrap in foil, and set it on a pan. Toss the vegetables with 4 tablespoons olive oil, 1.5 teaspoons kosher salt, 1 teaspoons smoked paprika, and 0.3 teaspoons red pepper flakes.
2. Roast until the tomatoes are collapsed and caramelized at the edges and the pepper skins are blistered and charred in spots. Swap the pans between racks halfway through.
3. For a silkier soup, cover the peppers with a bowl for 10 minutes, then slip off the skins. Squeeze the garlic cloves out of their skins.
4. Scrape everything into a pot, including all the pan juices; deglaze the pans with a splash of 500 milliliters vegetable or chicken stock to get the fond. Add the rest of the stock and simmer to meld.
5. Add 0.5 cups basil leaves and blend until smooth. Stir in 1 tablespoons sherry vinegar and 60 milliliters heavy cream or crème fraîche (optional), then adjust the salt. Thin with stock or water to the texture you want.