The cooler weather has started to set in and nothing says comfort food quite like a bowl of soup.
It doesn’t get much better than this simple yet tasty Tomato Soup which has the perfect amount of flavour from the tomatoes, garlic and fresh basil adding real depth to the soup.
Tomato based foods can sometimes be a bit acidic, but the trick is to add a little tiny bit of baking soda to balance out the acidity.
TOMATO AND BASIL SOUP
Author: Fazila Olla-Logday
The cooler weather has started to set in and nothing says comfort food quite like a bowl of soup. It doesn't get much better than this simple yet tasty Tomato Soup which has the perfect amount of flavour from the tomatoes, garlic and fresh basil adding real depth to the flavour. Tomato based foods can sometimes be a bit acidic but the trick is to add a little tiny bit of baking soda to balance out the acidity.
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp Olive Oil
- 1 Tbsp Butter
- 1 large Onion finely chopped
- 6 Garlic cloves, sliced
- 1 800gr can Crushed Tomatoes
- 2 Tbles Tomato paste
- 1 cup Vegetable Stock
- 12 - 15 large Fresh Basil leaves, chopped
- 1 Tbsp Sugar
- ½ tsp Bicarbonate of soda
- Salt to taste
- Black Pepper to taste
- ¼ cup Cream
Instructions
- In a heavy-bottomed pot, heat olive oil and butter over medium-high heat. Add onion and sauté until soft and translucent.
- Add garlic and sauté another 30 seconds.
- Add crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, vegetable stock, fresh basil leaves,sugar, bicarb, salt and pepper.
- Bring to a low simmer. Cook uncovered, for 20-25 minutes or until it has thickened.
- Remove the soup from the heat and cool slightly, about 10 minutes. Purée the soup directly in the saucepan using a stick blender until smooth.
- Stir through the cream and adjust the seasoning.
- Serve hot with grilled cheese toasties or freshly baked crusty bread.
