SPICY TOMATO SOUP TWO WAYS
Use a medium sieve not a fine one otherwise you will be standing there forever trying to pass the blended soup through the sieve and if some bits pass through, that's fine, it's nice to have some texture. I blend the soup in 3 batches, sometimes, I don't pass the last batch through the sieve, it adds texture to the soup. I use fresh basil which I add when I blend the soup not while it's roasting, you don't want to lose the aromatic flavour and scent of the basil in the soup. If you're using cream, 150ml of double cream will do. This soup freezes perfectly, for convenience, freeze in individual tupperware containers.
Ingredients
- 1.2kg large vine tomatoes
- 2 large red peppers
- 2 red onions
- 4-5 cloves garlic
- 2-3 tbs olive oil for roasting
- 2 tbs balsamic vinegar
- 5tbs vodka
- 1 tsp chilli flakes
- 2-3 shakes of tabasco sauce according to how hot you like your food!
- 1/2 tsp caster sugar - optional
TOMATO SOUP TWO-WAYS
- 150ml double cream
Instructions
-
Heat oven to gas mark 7 or equivalents. Wash the vegetables and dry. Halve the red peppers removing the stalk and seeds and slice each half into three, cut the onions into wedges - each half into three.
-
Place the tomatoes and cut onions and peppers into a large oven-proof tray with the garlic cloves, chilli flakes and plenty of pepper and some salt. Drizzle the oilive oil over and roast in the oven for 40 minutes turning veg over half way through roasting.
-
Remove from oven and allow to cool a little for 5 minutes. Blitz soup in a blender in three batches adding 150ml of water to each batch and a third of the basil each time you blend until it's all used. Pass each batch through a medium sieve into a clean saucepan.
-
Add the balsamic vinegar, vodka, tabasco and sugar if using (I like to add 1/2 tsp). Warm through and enjoy!
TWO-WAYS
-
After adding the tabasco, balsamic and vodka, warm through adding 150ml of double cream ensuring the soup does not boil.
Recipe Notes
This is a healthy, comforting soup that is delicious in the winter as well as summer, in fact, don't warm through in the summer. Chill after blitzing and you have Gazpacho!
The soup freezes well, portion into individual tupperware containers and you'll have a healthy lunch with no fuss - remembering to defrost the night before. Serve with a crusy roll or a pitta bread.
