Roasted Plum Tomato Soup

                             (Serves 6)

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup finely diced onion
1/2 cup finely diced turnip
1/2 cup finely diced carrot
2 teaspoons minced garlic
4 cups homemade vegetable or chicken stock or canned broth
1/4 cup tomato paste
3 cups roasted plum tomatoes (recipe follows) with their cooking juices
1/4 cup firmly packed fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano

Preparation

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat and sauté the onion, turnip, carrot and garlic until softened. Stir in the stock, tomato paste and roasted tomatoes together with any cooking juices. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Coarsely chop the basil leaves, and stir the basil and the parsley into the soup.  Divide the soup among six soup bowls and garnish with extra parsley leaves if desired.

Roasted Plum Tomatoes

Ingredients

24 large ripe plum tomatoes
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano

Preparation

Preheat oven to 325 F. Cut the tomatoes in half crosswise, and place them in a large roasting pan. Drizzle the olive oil over them, and sprinkle the chopped basil and oregano over the top. Roast for 45 minutes. Let the tomatoes cool slightly.
Remove the skins and cores, and coarsely chop the flesh. Makes about 3 cups.