Roasted Tomato Soup With Broccoli Pesto

Step 1: Preheat oven to 220°C.

Step 2: Place tomatoes, garlic, thyme and onion in a baking dish; sprinkle with salt flakes, season with freshly ground black pepper and drizzle with oil; toss to coat tomatoes. and roast for 30 minutes or until tomatoes are very soft and coloured around the edges.

Step 3: Meanwhile, make broccoli pesto, add broccoli to a small saucepan of boiling water and bring to the boil; simmer, uncovered, for 2 minutes and then drain; refresh in cold water, drain well.

Step 4: Process broccoli, garlic, pine nuts, parmesan and basil until finely chopped. With motor operating, gradually pour in oil; process until combined and season to taste and transfer roasted tomato mixture to a medium saucepan.

Step 5: Squeeze garlic out of skins and add garlic to tomato mixture and remove thyme stalks and add stock to pan and bring to the boil; remove from heat and stand 10 minutes to cool slightly and then blend or process mixture until smooth and return soup to pan; stir over low heat until hot and season.

Step 6: Ladle soup into bowls; top with broccoli pesto, pine nuts, basil and extra fresh tomato, if you like.

Step 7: NOTE - Use vegetable stock instead of chicken stock, if you prefer. Soup and broccoli pesto are suitable to freeze, separately, for up to 3 months.