EASY-PEASY RICH TOMATO SOUP: budget-friendly; triple duty

When you need hot soup fast but are avoiding ultra-processed tinned or packaged soup.... 

Look at the colour of this glorious but easy rich tomato soup! Adorned   with a simple pat of butter it is equally anbrosial with vegan, vegetarian, fish or meat garnishes

Easy Rich Tomato Soup was originally produced in an oven with the ingredients slow roasted (see recipe here); this is a fast version perfect for January.

It's intensely flavourful but cheap and cheerful. It cooks gently in the background for an hour.  

And it's incredibly versatile, helpling use up those bits and pieces left over in the fridge.  The base is vegan but becomes vegetarian OR pescatarian OR carnivorous depending on additions. 

67 is mostly happy with the vegan base accompanied by Ultra Cheese on Toast or Cheese Scones.  On other occasions, it will go all out and load up with fish or meatball garnishes.

Cost: (of base) £1'ish 

Feeds: 2-3 generously

Ingredients:  

  1-2 tbsp olive oil 

  6-8 fresh small tomatoes OR single 400gm tin tomatoes (any kind)

  1/2 med yellow or red onion 

  1-2 sticks washed, peeled celery

  1/3 to 1/2 good sized red bell pepper

  1.5 tablespoons fresh basil (or 1/2 tsp dried)

  stock or water

  1 tbsp tomato paste  (low-salt for oldies) 
  salt & pepper
  
  water or stock  as needed 

Garnishes (See Below)

Method:

1. Heat oil in good-sized pan over med-high heat
2. Dice or coarsely process onion, celery and de-seeded, de-membraned bell pepper 
3. When oil is hot, add veg; turn heat down to low; partially cover with a lid; sweat 20 mins until translucent, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking   
4. Add tomatoes and the equivalent of 2 tins water or stock 
5. Bring to a boil; simmer at a low bubble 20mins
6. Add tomato paste.  Give it a good blitz with a stick or bowl blender.
7. Taste.  If needed, add more tomato paste, salt and pepper, Savoury Spice Mix, celery salt or other herbs according to taste. This is your base. 
8. Add 400g stock or water for a vegan base OR milk or cream for vegetarian OR fish/meat stock for pescatarian/meat bases
9. Heat until hot enough to serve 
10. Serve with garnishes and/or accompaniments of choice

ADDITIONS: Any or All of the following...

VEGAN:

• tiny cubes of firm tofu
• Memorable Crunchy Croutons made with seeded wholemeal bread
• vegan bacon bits
• finely sliced raw veg; simmered in soup until al dente
• diced raw potatoes; simmered until cooked 
• a few tablespoons of washed rice; simmer 10-25 mins until rice is cooked

VEGETARIAN:  

• milk
• cream (single or double)
• grated cheese
• yoghurt 
• serve with Skinnier Ultra Cheese on Toast or Cheese Scones

PESCATORIAN:

• add a handful of defrosted, rinsed & drained prawns or mussels or calamari or white fish to soup until just cooked 
• add fresh seafood and lightly poach in the soup until cooked through

CARNIVORE:

• spoon or roll raw minced beef, lamb or poultry into one inch balls. Drop them into a separate pan of boiling water; simmer until they are cooked through, maybe 5-7 min.  Drain and add to soup
• OR if you're not worried about fat, cook meatballs directly in soup  
• stir strips/shredded cooked meat, particularly ham, into the soup nuntil warmed through 
• scatter with prosciutto which has been baked 2-3 mins until crispy

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This recipe has been developed by B M Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises.  It may not be reproduced without the author's written permission.