SPICY ROAST TOMATO AND COURGETTE SOUP


I've been wondering what the hell everyone is going on about, talking about it being autumn and the days getting cooler and drinking spiced lattes and wearing cardies... Summer hasn't even arrived in the UK properly. We probably had a couple of weeks of "hot" weather at the most and I am still waiting for a heatwave of bright sunshine to hit us.
When I woke up to 2˚C at 6am the other day though I had to admit to myself that this isn't going to happen (although we are predicted 28˚C this weekend).
I really, really wanted soup yesterday, that's how cold I was and generally I am not a big soup lover, unless it's noodle soup of course.
So off I went for a little experimentation in the kitchen to warm up and fill our bellies. The result was really, really lovely - spicy and sweet and full of great roast vegetable flavours.
We used a red scotch bonnet to spice up our soup (because we're double hard ;)) but if you don't like spicy food too much go for a milder chilli or simply leave it out completely.
Enjoy your late summer, roast veg soup. 'Tis good!!

SERVES 2
PREPARATION 5mins
COOKS 30mins
................... 

INGREDIENTS

  • 8 medium size tomatoes, quartered
  • 1 small red onion, sliced
  • 1 courgette, cut into sticks
  • 2 garlic cloves, bruised
  • 1 red chilli of your choice
  • 500 ml passata
  • 300ml vegetable or chicken stock
  • salt and pepper
  • olive oil
  • dried mixed herbs
  • 2 tsp brown sugar
  • 100ml red wine 
  • 1 garlic bread (baked to instructions)
  • 1 mozarella, sliced
PREPARATION METHOD:
  1. Pre-heat your oven to 180˚C. Place your tomatoes, courgette and garlic in a baking tray, drizzle with plenty of olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
  2. Place into the hot oven and cook for 25 minutes.
  3. Heat some olive oil in a saucepan and fry the tomatoes and chilli for a couple of minutes until soft. Add the sugar and keep stirring until completely dissolved. Cook with the sugar for a minute or two and then de-glaze your pan with the red wine. Boil for a little and then add the passata and stock. Stir and season to taste.
  4. Pre-heat your grill and distribute the sliced mozzarella on the slices of garlic bread. Place under the grill for a few minutes until the cheese is melted and golden. Season with black pepper.
  5. Cook the soup for 20 minutes at a medium to high heat until slightly reduced. Once your vegetables are done add 3/4 of them (including all the garlic) to the soup. Whizz with a handblender until smooth.
  6. Serve alongside the garlic bread, topped with the remaining roast vegetables.
Enjoy and let me know if you have any early autumn recipes to warm you up.













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