DID I 4GET THIS AGAIN!! HERE Y'ALL GO THE SOAP OPERA PARTIES' RECIPE FOR MONDAY ON TUESDAY LATE!! SORRY!! 4GIVE ME!! THANKS FOR READING!! GARDEN SOUP with SWISS CHARD 1 large eggplant, about 500 gm (1 lb) 2 ripe tomatoes, chopped 1 red capsicum, seeded and chopped 1 red onion, peeled and chopped 2 cloves of garlic 3 Tbs olive oil 1 litre (2 pints) (1 quart) chicken stock Sea salt Freshly ground black pepper 4 Tbs crème fraiche (or sour cream) 6 basil leaves, finely sliced (chiffonade) and Swiss chard Slice the top (calyx) from the eggplant. Chop the eggplant into rough cubes. Place in a roasting tray with the tomatoes, capsicum, onion, garlic and oil, toss to combine and cover with tin foil. Roast in a pre heated 220°C (440°F) oven for 40 minutes. Remove from the oven, stir the vegetables and roast again, this time uncovered for a further 20 minutes. This will colour the vegetables and provide extra flavour. Transfer the roasted vegetables to a large pot and add the chicken stock. Bring to the boil and simmer for 10 minutes to let the flavours get acquainted with one another. Place the whole lot, in batches, into a food processor and gently pulse so that it is chopped well, but not fully pureed. You need a little texture left in the soup. Season with the salt and pepper then ladle into warm bowls. Garnish with the crème fraiche and basil and serve with lots of good bread. Also serve with Swiss chard. YUM!! Addendum. I feel it would be a shame to waste all the lovely roasted vegetable flavour that clings to the bottom of the roasting tray, which would be the case if you were to line the base of the tray with foil as per the method below. But hell, I hate washing up time too. A compromise must be struck. Try deglazing instead. Deglazing is simply lifting the sediment from a cooking vessel, usually a frying pan or roasting tray, with the aid of some sort of liquid. Try using a little (1/2 cup) dry white wine, stock or even water. Now you have a clean tray and all the extra flavour. Thanks panamaus for the tips! http://sweetpea-honeybun.blogspot.com