Fresh Tomato Soup with Basil and Parmesan Croutons

Gently heat the olive oil in a heavy-bottomed saucepan, then put in the onion and potato and let them soften slowly without browning.  This takes 10 - 15 minutes.

Now add the tomatoes, stir well, and let them cook for a minute.  Pour the stock over the tomatoes, stir, season with salt and pepper and add the garlic.  Cover and allow everything to simmer for 25 minutes. 

Meanwhile, you can make the croutons.  Just place the oil and cubes of bread in a small bowl, stir them around until the oil is soaked up, then sprinkle in the Parmesan.  Stir the cubes around to coat them in that as well, then spread them on a baking sheet and bake on a high shelf in the oven for 10 minutes or until they are crisp and golden (do put a kitchen timer on becuase it's so easy to forget all about them).  Then allow them to cool and leave them on one side until the soup has had its cooking time.

When the soup is ready, liquidise the whole lot in a blender or food processor and then pass the soup through a sieve to extract the skins and pips (if you need to blend the soup in batches, have a bowl to hand to put the first batch in).  Now return the soup to the saucepan to re-heat, taste to check the seasoning and add the chopped basil.  Serve with a swirl of creme fraiche, the croutons and a sprig of fresh basil.  Alternatively, serve chilled.