Fresh Tomato Soup

I use vegetable broth in this recipe, but you can use chicken broth if you prefer. If you cannot find sun-dried tomato paste, you can use the same amount of oil soaked sun-dried tomatoes, just crush them well. I serve this with garlic bread topped with cheese.

• Ready In: 35 mins
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 3  lbs tomatoes, ripe
• 1 2⁄3 vegetable broth
• 3  tablespoons sun-dried tomato paste
• 3  tablespoons  balsamic vinegar
• 2  teaspoons molasses
• 1  small  handful basil leaves
•  salt
•  pepper
•  basil, eaves (to garnish)
•  creme fraiche

Directions

1. Plunge tomatoes in boiling water for 30 seconds, then refresh in cold water. Peel off the skins and quarter the tomatoes. Put them in a large heavy pan and pour in the broth. Bring it just to a boil, reduce the heat, cover and simmer gently for about 10 minutes, until the tomatoes are thickened and pulpy.
2. Stir in the sun-dried tomato paste, vinegar, molasses and basil. Season with salt and pepper, then cook gently, stirring, for 2 minutes. Process the soup in a blender in batches, then return to the pan and reheat gently.
3. Serve in bowls topped with cream fraiche and garnish with basil leaves.