Gluten- and dairy-free Roast Tomato Soup

Some of Ben's most missed dishes were soups, and with most food that comes in a tin or designed for long shelf life, there are a lot of ways to sneak in gluten or dairy where it really isn't necessary; plus fresh homemade soups are always better! 

The very first soup I decided to attempt was a tomato soup after checking the ingredients and allergens on numerous cans while shopping. Possibly one of the easiest dishes I've ever managed to date, it took only one go to get it right. The recipe is below.

Ingredients:

• 800g tomatoes
• 1 large onion
• 500ml vegetable stock (for all my stocks - chicken, vegetable - I use the Knorr stock cube range. For this recipe I used one cube with 500ml of boiling water.) 
• Salt and pepper, for seasoning
• Olive oil (or vegetable, any oil works here)

Method:

1. Cut the tomatoes in half and place in a baking tray (I used a roasting tin that I usually use for chicken, to give you an idea of size) with the centre of the tomato facing up.
2. Chop the onions - it doesn't matter how finely - and place in the baking tray with the tomatoes. 
3. Drizzle the oil over the top of the tomatoes and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
4. Roast the tomatoes and onions at 190° for about an hour, or until the tomatoes are cooked and soft. 
5. Place the tomatoes and onions into a saucepan with the vegetable stock and allow to simmer for 15-20 minutes. 
6. Take the pan off of the heat and allow to cool. 
7. Blend the stock, tomatoes and onions until a smooth mixture has formed. 
8. Pass the soup quickly through a sieve to remove any skin or seeds that may remain.
9. Return to the saucepan and heat gently and do not allow the soup to come to the boil (not sure why, but it was a tip from a friend!). Season to taste and serve.