The tomatoes in the greenhouse have just about stopped producing new fruit, and this autumnal weather has put me in the mood for soup! This recipe is really delicious and the combination of fresh and tinned tomatoes makes it a great option as the tomato harvest starts to tail off. It’s also easy to adapt if you don’t have all the ingredients – leeks make a great substitution for the onions if you have them, and you could use sweet potato in place of the carrots for a slightly different option.
Ingredients
- 1 red onion
- 1 white onion
- 2 carrots
- 2 sticks of celery
- 3 cloves of garlic
- 4 large salad tomatoes (or equivalent weight in whichever variety you have available)
- 1 tin organic peeled plum tomatoes
- 2 jarred sun dried tomatoes
- 2 tsp stock powder or a stock cube
- 1tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 2 tbsp olive oil
Method
- Dice the onions and celery, and finely chop the carrots (these take the longest to cook so the smaller they are the quicker they will soften).
- Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan and add the chopped vegetables, then sauté on a medium heat stirring occasionally to ensure they are all well coated in the oil.
- Meanwhile roughly chop the garlic and add to the pan.
- When the onions have started to soften, add the balsamic vinegar, followed by the fresh tomatoes, tinned tomatoes, sun dried tomatoes and stock powder.
- Stir well and top up with just enough water to ensure all the ingredients are submerged.
- Simmer on a medium heat until the carrot is soft enough that it mashes when tested with a fork.
- Turn off the heat and let it cool a little before blending. Once the soup is blended you can add more water to achieve the consistency you prefer.
- Serve with fresh basil and crusty bread – this would be delicious with some olive fougasse or ciabatta rolls from the TrueFood bread selection!