Hot Bloody Mary Soup

Ingredients:

1kg/2 1/4 ripe tomatoes, halved
2 red chilies, halved and seeded
10g/2tsp caster sugar
30ml 2tbsp olive oil
750ml/ 1 4 vegetable stock
15g/ 1tbsp tomato puree
10g/2tsp horseradish sauce
30g/2tbsp dry sherry
60ml/4 tbsp vodka
4 small celery stalks with leaves
celery, salt, pepper
4 thin lemon slices, to garnish

Method:

1. Pre-heat oven to 200C/400F/GAS4.
2. Place the tomatoes cut-side up in a large roasting tin
with chilies and sprinkle over the sugar and some salt and pepper.
3. Drizzle over the oil and roast for 30 minutes until softened and nicely browned.
4. Puree the roasted tomatoes in a blender with a little stock until smooth,. For a really smooth soup, pass the puree through a sieve into a large pan, otherwise, transfer straight to the pan.
5. Stir in the remaining stock and the tomato puree and heat gently through, without boiling.
6. Stir in the horseradish, sherry and vodka and check the seasoning.
7. Place a celery stalk in each of the four bowls and ladle over the soup.
8. Grind over black pepper, float a slice of lemon on each and serve.