This is a lovely fresh soup, bursting with tart tomato and rich peppery flavours. I love roasted peppers, and often put a couple more in the oven when making this soup, to use in salads, hummus or pasta sauces.
2-3 tablespoons of olive oil
675g ripe tomatoes
3 large red peppers
1 large white onion
2 celery sticks
2 cloves of garlic
1/2 teaspoon sweet, smoked paprika (optional)
500ml vegetable stock
Seasoning
- Pre-heat the oven to 200°C.
- Line a baking tray with baking/parchment paper.
- Cut the peppers in half, remove the seeds and then lay on the tray, skin side up.
- Roast in the oven for 20-35 minutes until the skins have blackened.
- Cut the tomatoes in half and place cut side down on a baking tray. Drizzle with olive oil and place in the hot oven for the last 10-15 minutes of the pepper cooking time.
- Remove the peppers and tomatoes from the oven and leave to cool for a few minutes, then remove the skins (it should pull off easily).
- Dice the peppers and tomatoes and set aside.
- Roughly chop the onion.
- Heat the oil in a medium sized pan, and sauté the onion until translucent.
- Add the garlic and sweet smoked paprika, if using, and cook for a further 1-2 minutes, being careful not to burn the garlic.
- Add the tomatoes, peppers and stock. Season.
- Bring up a fast simmer, then cover and cook for 20 minutes.
- Blend the soup until smooth.
- Taste and adjust the seasoning as required.
