Ingredients
- For the potatoes
- 4 baking potatoes
- knob of butter
- 2 tbsp crème fraîche
- small bunch fresh chives, finely chopped
- 200g/7oz soft goats’ cheese
- 1 free-range egg, beaten
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- For the soup
- 2kg/4½lbs large ripe plum tomatoes, halved
- 1 garlic bulb, cut in half horizontally
- 2 large red onions, peeled, quartered
- few sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 tbsp golden caster sugar
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 250ml/9fl oz vegetable stock (optional)
- 100ml/3½fl oz single cream (optional)
- few drops Worcestershire sauce (optional)
- few drops balsamic vinegar (optional)
Method
- Preheat the oven to 190C/375F/Gas 5.
- Bake the potatoes directly on the wire rack of the oven for 1½ -1¾hours, or until tender.
- Meanwhile, for the soup, place the tomatoes, garlic, onions and thyme into a large roasting tin and season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Drizzle with the oil, and roast in the oven for 40-50 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool slightly.
- Mash the garlic with the back of a fork, and discard the skin. Tip the roasted tomatoes and onions into a food processor along with the mashed garlic, and pulse until smooth.
- If the soup is too thick, pour into a large saucepan and loosen the mixture with either vegetable stock, or single cream. Add a little Worcestershire sauce or balsamic vinegar, to season, if you like.
- Remove the potatoes from the oven and using a cloth to hold the hot potato, cut each one in half and scoop out the insides into a bowl.
- Mix in the butter, crème fraîche, chives and goats’ cheese, and stir in the egg.
- Season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper, and spoon the potato mixture back into the skins. Place onto a baking tray in the oven for a further 15-20 minutes, or until golden-brown and crisp on top.
- To serve, reheat the soup and divide among four bowls, with two potato halves each on the side.
