Roasted Tomato and Thyme Soup

I’ve been sick for the last couple of days, so when I was flipping channels with my girlfriend and saw this recipe on the tele, I knew we had to try it. Roasted Tomatoes, fresh sprigs of Thyme, Garlic, Onion and Double Baked Potatoes… what great encouragement to getting better. Hit the jump for the full recipe.

Potatoes

• 8 baking potatoes (I used medium russets)
• about a quarter cup of butter
• 4 tablespoons low fat sour cream
• small bunch of chives – finely chopped
• 2 eggs, whites whisked separately from yokes.
• small handful of grated cheese (1/4 cup-ish)

Soup

• 2 kilograms large ripe plum tomatoes – halved
• 2 bulb garlic – cut into half
• 1 large red onions – peeled and quartered
• 3 to 4 springs of thyme
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste (I used about a teaspoon of pepper, and half that of salt)
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1. Bake the potatoes for around 1 ½ hours at 190C/375F.
2. While the potatoes are baking – put the tomatoes, garlic, red onions and thyme into a roasting tray.
3. Season with salt, pepper and sugar and drizzle generously with olive oil.
4. Place in the oven with the potatoes for the last 45 minutes.
5. When roasted, remove from the oven, allow to cool slightly and mash the garlic and discard the skin, then blend well.
6. Leave to one side until the potatoes are ready.
7. Remove the potatoes from the oven, cut the tops off, scoop out the insides into a bowl.
8. Mix the cooked potato with the butter, sour cream, chives, cheese and egg yolks. Lastly mix in the fluffy egg whites which have been whisked.
9. Season with salt and pepper and put the filling back inside the potato skins, and then bake in the oven again for around 30 minutes until golden and crispy on the top.
10. When the potatoes are almost ready, reheat the soup and serve with the crispy on the outside, fluffy in the middle potatoes.

A great idea is to dip a fork full of the potatoes filling into the soup… delicious!