Roast Tomato Creme Fraiche Soup

Ingredients
8 ripe tomatoes, halved
1 red onion, cut into quarters
1 head of garlic, halved horizontally
2 sprigs thyme
2tbsp olive oil
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1L/1¾pt hot vegetable stock
100g/4oz creme fraiche
3tbsp chopped fresh parsley
warm bread, to serve

Method
1. Pre-heat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas6. Place the tomatoes, red onion, garlic and thyme in a roasting tin and drizzle over the olive oil. Season generously and roast for 30 minutes until softened and a little charred.
2. Remove the onions and garlic from the roasting tin and set aside. Pour half the stock over the tomatoes and return to the oven for 10 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, slip the onions and garlic out of their papery skins and whizz in a food processor to form a paste.
4. Remove the roasting tin from the oven, discard the thyme, then add the stock and tomatoes to the food processor, scraping up any residue with a wooden spoon.
5. Strain the mixture into a clean pan and add the remaining stock and the crème fraiche. Heat gently and season to taste. Stir in the parsley, ladle into bowls and serve with warm crusty bread.