This soup is one of my favourites, full of really delicious flavour, its packed with veggies and goodness, has a smoky undertone and you can make it as spicy (or not) as you like.
Very straightforward chuck everything together to roast and blitz, its divine with lots of warm bread, and topped with some seeds for a bit of crunch - I love it with some toasted pecans or walnuts on top too!
It freezes brilliantly - you just defrost and warm on the stove or in the microwave and you're good to go!
Recipe – serves 4 with bread of 3 on its own
1.2 kg tomatoes (mix of sizes/types is fine)
250g carrots
2 medium onions
2 large red/orange/yellow peppers
2 medium/mild heat chillies (or more or less, depending on taste)
5 peeled garlic cloves
4 bay leaves
1 Teaspoons dried thyme
½ Teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 TBSP each of Olive oil and Balsamic Vinegar
1 orange
2tsp Cayanne pepper
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 Tablespoon caster sugar
1 vegetable stock cube dissolved in 1/2 mug of water
1 – Heat oven to 180*
2 – Rough cut all the vegetables into large chunks and put into a large roasting tin along with the bay leaves, thyme, cinnamon, olive oil, balsamic and juice of half the orange. Season well.
3 – Roast for 1 hour
4 – Remove the bay leaves and pour the lot, including any juices in the pan, into a food processor and blitz, or alternatively use a stick blender till everything is smooth
5 – Pour everything into a saucepan and stir in the juice of the remaining half orange, the cayenne pepper, smoked paprika, caster sugar and vegetable stock, taste and season as needed.
6 – Enjoy!
This soup is delicious with my Cypriot halloumi bread or a nice rustic loaf, it can be kept in the fridge for 2-3 days and reheated, or alternately it freezes very well, just defrost and reheat when you need.
Top tip - you can be free and easy with additions for this - I've roasted and added squash, pumpkin and sweet potato and they've all been delicious.