Tomato soup
A smooth, gently sweet tomato soup built on softened onion, carrot and celery, blended until velvety and finished with a little cream.
Method
- 1
Melt the butter with the oil in a large saucepan over medium-low heat.
- 2
Add the onion, carrot, celery and a pinch of salt. Cook gently, stirring now and then, until soft and sweet but not browned.
- 3
Add the garlic and cook until fragrant.
- 4
Stir in the tomato paste and cook until it darkens slightly and coats the vegetables.
- 5
Tip in the tomatoes with their juice, then add the stock, sugar and bay leaf. Break up the tomatoes with a spoon.
- 6
Bring to the boil, then lower the heat and simmer with the lid ajar until the carrot is very soft.
- 7
Lift out the bay leaf and blend the soup until completely smooth.
- 8
Return the soup to the pan, stir in the cream and reheat gently without letting it boil.
- 9
Taste and season with salt and pepper, adding a pinch more sugar if the tomatoes are sharp.
- 10
Ladle into warm bowls and tear a few basil leaves over each.
Notes
- Good canned tomatoes give a more reliable result than out-of-season fresh ones. In late summer, swap in 1 kg of ripe fresh tomatoes, roughly chopped.
- Leave out the cream and use olive oil instead of butter for a dairy-free soup.
- Blend hot soup in batches with the lid vented and a towel over the top so steam can escape.
Equipment
Large saucepan, Blender or stick blender