Tomato Soup

When I grew up tomato soup with macaroni was every kids favorite. The soup was made from powder with added milk or water and while I found it delicious at that time I have tasted it as a grown up and cannot say I find it tasty at all. A tomato soup made out of real tomatoes though, thats a totally different story. Bursting with flavor its sure to become a hit!

Ingredients;

1 yellow onion, coarsely chopped
3 garlic cloves peeled
freshly ground pepper
sea salt
fresh thyme, oregano or basil (use whatever you have)
6 tomatoes (if possible use ripe tasteful tomatoes)
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 bay leaves
4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp sugar
chili powder or cayenne or tabasco or hot sauce whatever you prefer, just remember to go light with the cayenne or you might be in for a surprise

Preheat oven to 425F
Wash and cut the tomatoes in halves. Spread the tomatoes, onion and garlic onto a baking tray. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast in preheated oven for 30 minutes or until caramelized.
Add the tomatoes, onion and garlic to a stock pot making sure to get all the liquid (using a spatula). Add 3/4 of the broth and the bay leaves. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes or until reduced by a third. Add the herbs, sugar, balsamic vinegar and spice. Use an immersion blender and puree the soup until smooth. Taste and adjust with spices. If you like you can add heavy cream or creme fraiche at this time for a more creamier soup or the remaining broth for a lighter soup. I personally prefer not to use cream the soup will get a cream like consistency without .

Pour soup into serving bowls, garnish with cheese, onion, herbs or whatever you prefer or have in your refrigerator.

Enjoy!!

Cucumber Soup with Scampi

As it's getting gradually hotter outside the urge for lighter meals tends to sneak up on you. Last night was hot and humid and I just didn't fancy a hot or heavy meal. This cold Cucumber soup with Scampi was the perfect solution. Can very well be served as a starter or  main course. If used as a starter just serve less, if used as a main course serve more and perhaps add some more scampi as well and perhaps some grissini. Can also be served as a shot if you're serving finger food.

Ingredients;

2 big cucumbers (I use english cucumbers) approx. 2 lb

2 cups water 

3 tbsp chicken fond

1/2 tbsp lemon juice

1 cup yoghurt (preferably greek)

1 garlic clove

1 ripe avocado

1/2 (or 1 if you like dill) cup coarsely chopped dill

tabasco 

sea-salt

Garnish;

3 scampi per person

olive oil

salt/pepper

dill

Peel the cucumbers, cut them in half lengthwise and remove the seeds. Cut the cucumber in smaller pieces. Add them to the blender with the water, chicken fond, lemon juice, yoghurt, garlic and process until smooth. Add the avocado and dill (leaving some dill for the garnish) and process some more. Add water if needed then tabasco and salt (how much salt and tabasco is really a matter of preference). 

Put the soup in the refrigerator for a couple of hours so that it is could when served. 

Just before serving fry the scampi in a little bit of olive oil, add salt and pepper and put on skewers. 

Pour the chilled soup in soup bowls, glasses or whatever you prefer, add the scampi and some dill. Serve.

Hope you like it!!

Tomato Soup

I have to admit that soup is really not one of my favorites, I often find it to creamy or heavy. This one though I love and so does my kids. It's a Tomato Soup made with no milk or cream which is why I like it I guess. To me it tastes like summer but on the other hand it's sort of like a comfort dish so you might as well serve it during the cold winter months if you live up north.

Ingredients;


2 1/2 pound ripe cherry tomatoes on the vine
4 -5 large tomatoes
1 fresh red chile
5 cloves garlic
2 small or 1 big red onion
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
A handful of fresh basil
Olive oil
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper

Pull the tomatoes of the vine. Quarter the big tomatoes and put it all on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Seed the chile and divide it in 4 then add to the pan with the garlic crushed and peeled. Toss everything then put into the oven for around 30 minutes on 425F. The tomatoes are done when they look soft and shrunken and has gotten a little bit of coloring.

While the tomatoes are in the oven peel and roughly chop the onions then put them in a medium hot pan with some olive oil and salt.

Leave to soften, stirring occasionally. When they are soft add the balsamic vinegar and let it cook until the balsamic is reduced. Pay attention when doing this so it don't burn. The balsamic vinegar tends to reduce fast at the end.

When the tomatoes are done in the oven add everything to the pan of onions and blend.

In as many batches as necessary add the tomato mix to a blender with the basil and blend to soup consistency. I use my Vitamix blender on it's soup setting.  Once finished mix well, season to taste and serve with a drizzle of good olive oil,  a few basil leaves and perhaps a chunk of good bread.

Ot perhaps put it in containers and freeze for later use!

Either way, Enjoy!!