Serves 4

If you don’t have time to roast the tomatoes, you can always use a can of peeled plum tomatoes instead. This soup is also delicious served with a dollop of crème fraîche or yoghurt, and torn basil leaves.

3 tbsp olive oil
600g large vine-ripened tomatoes, halved
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 large onion, chopped
2 small garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 celery sticks, chopped
Large knob of butter
2 tsp ground cumin
½ tsp cayenne pepper
140g red lentils, rinsed
850ml vegetable stock

1 Preheat the oven to 220C/Gas 7. Pour the oil into a roasting tray and heat in the oven until almost smoking. Carefully tip the tomatoes on to the roasting tray, then toss to coat in the oil. Season well, then roast for 20-25 minutes, stirring halfway, until the tomatoes have softened slightly.

2 Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, sweat the onion, garlic and celery in the butter with some seasoning for 6-8 minutes until soft. Sprinkle over the cumin and cayenne pepper and sauté for 1-2 minutes to cook out the spices.

3 Remove the tomatoes from the oven and tip them into the saucepan, along with any juices from the roasting tray. Stir in the lentils, then pour in the vegetable stock and bring to the boil. Cook over a high heat for 10 minutes, then lower to a gentle simmer for about 20 minutes until the lentils are soft.

4 Remove the pan from the heat, cool the soup slightly, then blend in batches until smooth. Return to the heat to warm through gently and check for seasoning. Serve the soup with cornbread muffins (above) or cheese scones on the side.

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