Inspired by Nigel Slater’s book,
‘Tender’
I love the title of this soup!
I had meant to make this soup at the end of every Summer when I have the usual over-abundance of sun-soaked, yellow tomatoes and marigolds popping out everywhere in my garden, giving joy and colour wherever you look.
I added orange peppers, as I also have an overabundance of these. They are small, sunset-coloured peppers. There are lots of them, all twisted in their home-grown shapes. As I write this from the kitchen table, I can see their cheerful and bright splashes of colour amongst the greenery.
This is a simple soup pulsating with flavour and brightness.
tips
- I decided to give this soup a long simmer at the beginning, like Donna’s Cherry Tomato Sauce, to bring out the flavours before adding the stock or water. I use a Le Creuset pot, which keeps the temperature balanced, and even when cooking, when this soup simmers, a lot of liquid comes out of the tomatoes. This is why very little water is added. If you find the soup dry when cooking, add additional water.
- If you do not have yellow tomatoes, use your regular cherry tomatoes. Make sure the tomatoes are ripe and ready if you want a flavoursome soup.
~ a little friend ~
A SOUP THE COLOUR OF MARIGOLDS
enough for four
ingredients
a drizzle of olive oil
1 bay leaf
1 sprig fresh thyme
1 sprig fresh oregano
450g yellow tomatoes
6 medium/450g carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
1 medium orange bell pepper, deseeded, peeled and quartered
2 – 3 cups vegetable stock or water – more if needed
1 tsp jaggery or sugar
sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
parsley, finely chopped
basil leaves (optional)
preparation
- Heat olive oil in a large heavy-based saucepan (it should be hot enough so that the herbs sizzle when added). Add whole herb sprigs and bay leaf, tossing in the hot oil so the flavour infuses and the herbs turn bright green.
- Add whole yellow tomatoes, toss until coated in oil, then add bell pepper and carrots. Leave to sizzle on medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, then reduce heat to a simmer, cover, and let stew for 45 minutes.
- Turn off the heat, remove and discard the sprigs of thyme and oregano, and remove the bay leaf (return to the soup after blitzing).
- Add the 3 cups stock or water and blitz it with a hand blender until it becomes a thick, pulpy broth.
As Nigel Slater says, “…as bright and cheerful as a jug of June flowers.”
- Add the sugar and season with salt and pepper.
- Sprinkle with finely chopped parsley and a basil leaf and drizzle with olive oil.
Serve with freshly baked bread and a bowl of guacamole or a big spoon of cooked quinoa in each bowl.
Goodness shared from Stacey
