THE RETURN OF THE TUMMY WARMING TOMATO SOUP

OK I'll admit it, sometimes a tin of Heinz cream of tomato soup is all you need to sort yourself out if you're a bit chilly or got a touch of man flu. It's lazy but it's so so good! If you have time however you can make this delicious homemade version using tomatoes, celery, onions roasted in garlic, honey and herbs and blitzed into a sensationally smooth souptastic treat. I can't promise you it's better than its tinned brother but it will clear away those cobwebs in no time. With this revamped recipe, I can promise you that for sure!

I've used beef tomatoes below but that is only because they looked so bright and juicy. The same weight of any tomatoes will work. You don't need to use red onions either. white ones will work too but I just like the sweetness and color the red ones bring to the party.

I have a little secret ingredient in this soup. It's called Hendersons Relish and Jon found it whilst doing our weekly shop at Morrisons although I believe it is available in most of the big supermarkets. It's like a sweeter version of Worcester sauce and compliments the sweet onions and honey in the soup. Hunt a bottle out and add a few good shakes of it into your soup to really ramp up the sweetness and bring out those beautiful tomato flavors.

What's great about this recipe is that there is a minimal amount of work to be done. A bit of prep and a bit of blending and you're done. Why not give it a go next time you feel a little under the weather (or ask a loved one to make it for you, you are poorly sick after all!).

Tummy Warming Tomato Soup

1Kg Beef Tomatoes Chopped Into Quarters

5 Celery Sticks Chopped Into Large Chunks

2 Peeled And Halved Medium Red Onions

2 Tbsp Runny Honey

2 Tbsp Henderson's Relish (Optional)

1 Whole Garlic Bulb

Salt And Pepper To Season

4 Tbsp Olive Oil

Handfull Fresh Basil

500ml Vegetable Stock

1 Handfull Fresh Chopped Coriander

1. Stick your oven on to 200 degrees (180 fan) and line a large deep baking tray with foil. Place in the tomatoes, celery and onions and drizzle over the honey and Henderson's relish if using.
2. Cut the top off your garlic bulb so the bulb remains intact but the top of the cloves are exposed (see picture) and  place in the tray. Season with salt and pepper, drizzle over the oil and place the basil leaves in whole.
3. Give everything a good toss together so everything is coated in oil (get stuck in with your hands) and then place in the oven and roast for 30 minutes.
4. Once roasted, squeeze the soft garlic cloves out of the bulb and discard the skin. Tip all the roasted veg, soft garlic and all the juices into a large pan. 
5. Pour in 100ml of the stock and blend everything until smooth. Add in as much of the rest of the stock as you need to thin out the soup but don't wash out the flavors. Add 100ml at a time, stir and taste until you have the desired consistency
6. Bring to the boil and then reduce to a simmer for 30 minutes adding in the chopped coriander five minutes towards the end. Leave some coriander leaves to garnish and if the soup is getting too thick add a bit more of any leftover stock. 
   
   
   

   

   After the simmer your soup is good to go. Dish out into bowls and sprinkle over the leftover coriander leaves for a final flourish. Of course with a soup you have to serve it with some warm crusty bread for dipping and mopping up every last drop. This is in fact the law. If this doesn't make you feel better then I'll hold my hands up and say I failed you and suggest you revert back to the tin. However, you'll know it works when you get that warm feeling in your tummy! Better than any medicine!