- 1 cup baby or sliced carrots
- 1 cup mushrooms, halved
- 2 zucchini, ends trimmed and halved
- 3 medium onions, peeled and halved
- 4-5 celery sticks, trimmed and de-strung
- 1 14oz can fire roasted diced tomatoes
- 1 bunch fresh basil, chopped
- 2 tablespoons minced garlic
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- Water or Stock (chicken or vegetable)
- 1 lemon, juiced
- Salt and pepper
Place a rack about 6" below the broiler in your oven, and turn the broiler on to high.
Line two baking pans with heavy duty foil. (This will make clean up a snap.)
Place all fresh vegetables (not the basil) on the two pans and drizzle sparingly with olive oil.
Rub the oil all over the vegetables to make sure they have a thin coating on all sides.
Place pans underneath the broiler and watch carefully.
When the vegetables are beginning to blacken and blister open the oven and using mitts and tongs carefully turn the vegetables over to expose the other side to the heat.
Close the oven door and continue to broil until vegetables are softened and lightly blistered on all sides.
Remove pans from oven and set aside to cool slightly.
Place a large stockpot over medium heat, and drizzle a small amount (about 2 teaspoons) of olive oil in the bottom of the pot.
Add garlic and tomato paste and stir until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Add all roasted vegetables into the pot along with the can of tomatoes and the basil.
Next add enough water or stock to completely cover the vegetables by about three-four inches.
Stir, and bring liquid to a simmer.
Simmer partially covered for 25 minutes.
Turn off the heat and allow soup to cool slightly.
Stir in lemon juice and taste soup to determine if additional salt is needed.
Add salt and pepper to your taste.
Carefully puree the soup in batches using a blender.
Transfer to a container and store in fridge.
Soup can be enjoyed hot or cold.
