Roasted Tomato Soup with Basil Cashew Cream

This recipe was born out of a curiosity for using substitutes like nuts to replace milk products and/or dairy. At first I was sceptical, but was really happy with the result.

For the Soup:

3 pounds tomatoes, halved lengthwise
8 tablespoons olive oil
4 tablespoons minced garlic
1 1/2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh rosemary or 1 1/4 teaspoons dried
1 1/2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh thyme or 1 1/4 teaspoons dried
1/4 teaspoon (or more) dried crushed red pepper
2 cups vegetable stock
6 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

Basil Cashew Cream Sauce:

1 1/2 cups cashews, soaked
3/4 cup water
1/2 lemon, juiced
2 garlic cloves
1/4 cup basil leaves (plus more for garnish)
1 teaspoon salt

Instructions: 

Preheat oven to 400°F. Place tomatoes, cut side up, on large baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Drizzle tomatoes with 3 tablespoons olive oil. Roast until tomatoes are brown and tender, about 1 hour. Cool slightly.

Transfer tomatoes and any accumulated juices to processor. Using on/off turns, process until slightly chunky.

Heat 3 tablespoons oil in large pot over medium-high heat. Add garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, rosemary, thyme and dried crushed red pepper. Add vegetable stock; bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered until soup thickens slightly, about 25 minutes. Remove from heat.

Prepare the basil cashew cream sauce by adding ingredients to a blender and pulsing until smooth. Scrape down the sides once or twice to ensure a smooth consistency. Drizzle some onto your soup and garnish with fresh basil.

Serves 4