Recipe: Gorgeous tomato soup: Thermomix and normal way

I got this from here:  http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/wordofmouth/2012/jun/14/how-to-cook-perfect-tomato-soup

I didn't follow it exactly because I didn't have basil (and don't actually like it - sorry) or creme fraiche but it's gorgeous without.

I made enough for one, it was simply delicious being both savoury and sweet all in one, a mixture of tomatoes from the garden; it was rather like a very, very superior tinned 'cream of tomato soup' without the artificial flavour.

Here's what I did.

Ingredients:
300g ripe tomatoes (from the garden which is why there's such sweetness, I guess), halved.
some olive oil - as little as possible but you do need it.
pinch sugar (small pinch), salt and pepper
1 small onion or part of a bigger one, peeled and chopped
about 1/3 of a carrot, peeled, if necessary, and chopped
garlic puree - a little squidge
200 mls chicken stock (I used those knorr stock pot thingies and used about 1/2)
about 1tsp balsamic vinegar

Method:
Preheat the oven to about 180.  Arrange the tomatoes, cut side up, in a baking dish, drizzle with a little oil and season with salt (not much because of the stock, more if you're using fresh stock), pepper and a very small pinch of sugar.  Bake for about 45 mins (the recipe says 1 hr but it was ready before then) until softening and starting to char around the edges.
I then removed the skins where I could because some of the tomato skins are quite thick but, seeing as I then ate the skins and they were delicious and not at all tough, I doubt that was actually necessary!

Then, the non-Thermione way
Heat the remaining oil in a pan over a medium heat and add the chopped onion, carrot and garlic.  Cook, stirring regularly, until softened.

Add the tomatoes to the pan with the pan juices and scrapings, the stock and the vinegar (rather than use it as a garnish).
Bring to a slow boil, stir well, cover and simmer until the veg are soft.

Cool slightly and puree until it is the texture you want.

At this point you stir in the creme fraiche, if using it, check the seasoning and adjust.  Gently reheat and serve.

The Thermione way:
Place the roughly shopped carrot and onion in the bowl with a little oil and pulse VERY briefly - you want bits, not a paste.  Saute on 100, 6 mins, speed 1/2
Add the garlic, the tomatoes and juices, the stock and the vinegar.
Cook on 100/about 12 mins/speed 1/2.

When the veg are soft allow to cool a little and then blend on speed 10 for around a minute (I like a very smooth soup).  Check seasoning and adjust.

Either serve immediately or leave in the bowl until mealtime, then gently reheat to 10, speed 1/2 before serving.

I'm going to make this again soon, maybe for school on Monday.  A treat never went amiss on the first day of the school year, did it?

31-08-14:  I've just made the full recipe, minus the basil (still yuck) and adding the balsamic vinegar with the stock.  The tomatoes still had stalky bits inside so right at the end I pushed the lot through a sieve to get the final 'bits' out.  It worked a treat and the creme fraiche as a garnish also worked really well.  That's several school lunches sorted now - and I am assuming it will freeze well as it has nothing in it that won't freeze.
The next step is to try it with a vegetable stock.