Tomato & balsamic vinegar soup
Ingredients
- 750 g large tomatoes on the vine
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 onion roughly chopped
- 1 baking potato about 200 g , diced
- 2 garlic cloves finely chopped (optional)
- 750 ml vegetable stock or chicken stock
- 1 tablespoon tomato purée
- 1 tablespoon soft brown sugar
- 4 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
- small bunch of basil
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- Cut the tomatoes in half, place them cut-side down in a foil-lined grill pan and drizzle with some oil. Grill for 4–5 minutes until the skins have split and blackened. Meanwhile, fry the onion, potato and garlic in the remaining oil for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally until softened and turning golden around the edges.
- Peel and roughly chop the tomatoes and add to the onion and potato with the pan juices, then stir in the stock, tomato purée, sugar and vinegar. Add half the basil, season and bring to the boil. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Purée half the soup in batches in a blender or food processor until smooth. Return to the saucepan with the rest of the soup and reheat. Season to taste, then ladle into bowls, garnish with the remaining basil leaves and serve with Parmesan twists.
Notes / Tips / Wine Advice:
For Parmesan twists, to serve as an accompaniment, unroll one sheet of ready-rolled puff pastry from a 425 g (14 oz) defrosted pack of 2 sheets. Brush with a little beaten egg yolk then spread with 3 teaspoons tomato (or basil) pesto, a little pepper and 4 tablespoons of freshly grated Parmesan. Cover with the second unrolled pastry sheet. Brush the top with a little more egg yolk, then cut into strips about 1 cm (½ inch) wide. Twist each strip like a corkscrew, transfer to an oiled baking sheet and press the ends firmly on to the baking sheet to prevent them unravelling. Cook in a preheated oven, 200°C (400°F), Gas Mark 6, for about 10 minutes until golden brown. Serve warm.
