Recipe: Gazpacho-Style Soup

Blog

Published on Thursday, 17 January 2013 09:00

Last Updated on 17 January 2013

Monica Costa

0 Comments

A fragrant and refreshingly light tomato soup/stew which is particularly good when warm rather than hot.

Serves 4

Ingredients

6 medium, ripe tomatoes or 6 tinned tomatoes

1 large fennel bulb, trimmed, central stem removed then thinly sliced

450ml water

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon coriander seeds

½ teaspoon black peppercorns

1 tablespoon olive/rapeseed oil

1 small onion, peeled and finely chopped

1 large clove garlic, peeled and crushed

½ tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

2 heaped teaspoons fresh oregano leaves, finely chopped

1 heaped teaspoon tomato purée

Celery salt

Method

• Put the tomatoes in a large bowl, cover with boiling water, leave for 30 seconds then drain, remove the skins, stems and seeds and chop the flesh roughly.

• If you are using tinned tomatoes, remove the stems and seeds and chop the flesh roughly.

• Put the fennel and water in a small pot with the salt, bring slowly to the boil, reduce the heat, put a lid on and simmer very gently for 10-15 minutes or until the fennel is tender but still has a bite to it.

• Remove from the heat and set aside.

• Crush the coriander seeds and peppercorns in a pestle and mortar.

• Warm the oil in a large soup pot, add the onion and spices and saute gently until the onions are soft (don’t let them brown).

• Add the garlic and saute for a further 5 minutes.

• Add the balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, chopped tomatoes, oregano and tomato puree and stir well.

• Add the fennel and its simmering water, bring the soup to the boil then reduce the heat and simmer gently for 30 minutes.

• Remove from the heat and let it cool to room temperature before serving with a good shake of celery salt and few chopped oregano leaves scattered over.

This recipe has been donated by Fiona Kirk & Jean Barr, authors of the book ‘SOUP CAN MAKE YOU THIN’ available in eBook format, £4.99 from www.souperydupery.com.