How to Prepare Tomato And Roasted Red Pepper Soup

Serves 4; Preparation time: 15 minutes; Cooking time; 50 minutes.

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Equipment:

• • food processor
  • hand blender
  • saucepans
  • skillet
  • knives
  • small bowls
  • soup bowls
  • wooden spoons/ spatulas

Ingredients

• 1 – 1½ tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium carrot, sliced and chopped
• 1 onion, chopped finely
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 2 lb/900g really ripe tomatoes with skins and all and on the vine if possible, chopped otherwise 3 tins of tomatoes. We use whatever comes to hand in truth!
• 2 – 2½ tbsp  tomato purée
• 1 – 1½ tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp muscavado, demarara or light brown sugar
• 2 – 3 bay leaves
• 1 vegetable stock cube, made up in 1/2 pint/500ml hot water
• 2 tbsp crème fraîche 
• handful of fresh basil leaves
• freshly ground black pepper if needed

Preparation

1. Prepare the vegetables – make sure the tomatoes are not skinned as this adds extra flavour.
2. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet or heavy saucepan over a medium heat.
3. Add the chopped carrots, onion and garlic, cover with a lid and cook for 8-10 minutes, until softening and colouring slightly brown.
4. Add the tomatoes, tomato purée, red wine vinegar, sugar and bay leaves.
5. Stir well to mix then cover the pan and cook for 10 minutes until the tomatoes start to soften.
6. Add the stock to the pan, season with salt and pepper and bring to the boil.
7. Quickly reduce to a simmer and cook, uncovered, for 40-50 minutes until the tomatoes have collapsed completely.
8. Remove from the heat, take out the bay leaf and blend the soup with an electric hand whisk, until smooth. You can also process the soup in a food processor too if needs be.
9. Adjust the seasoning to taste. Add some ground black pepper.
10. Divide the tomato soup between a few bowls or just have people ladle it in.
11. Top with a swirl of crème fraîche and the basil leaves or add a swirl of basil pesto along with those pesto leaves.