Roasted tomato soup

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200ºC/400F/gas 6.
2. Place the tomatoes and cloves of garlic in a roasting dish in a single layer. Drizzle with 3 tbsp of the olive oil and roast for about 30 mins until the garlic is tender when pierced with a knife, and the tomatoes are colouring and splitting.
3. Heat the remaining tbsp of oil in a saucepan and gently fry the onion until translucent.
4. Squeeze the garlic out of the skins and add to the onions, together with the roasted tomatoes and all the juices from the roasting pan.
5. Pour in the stock, bring to the boil and simmer, covered for 20 mins. Cool, then blend until the soup is very smooth (make sure all the tomato skins are well blended).
6. Return the soup to a clean pan, season to taste and gently reheat.
7. Serve in warmed soup bowls topped with heart shaped croutons, a sprinkling of chopped chives and a swirl of soya cream if liked.