Spicy tomato soup

Season: 

Type:  Soups

Difficulty:  Easy

Serves:  4 at home or 24 tastes in the classroom

Fresh from the garden:  tomatoes, carrots, celery, garlic, onion, parsley, coriander

Recipe source: Adapted from Neil Perry’s The Food I Love

• metric measuring spoons and cups
• chopping boards & non-slip mats
• 1 medium knife
• large saucepan
• peeler
• scales
• mini-food processor
• food processor
• wooden spoon
• small teaspoon

• 1.5 kg very ripe tomatoes
• 125 ml extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 celery stalks
• 1 small carrot
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 500 ml water

For the paste

• 4 garlic cloves
• ½ small red onion
• 1 handful flat-leaf parsley
• 1 handful coriander leaves
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• ½ teaspoon chilli powder
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin

• Set out your equipment and ingredients.

Make the paste

• Peel and chop the garlic.
• Chop the onion and parsley.
• Put all the ingredients for the paste in the mini-food processor and purée.  Set aside.

Prepare the vegetables

• Cut the tomatoes in half and squeeze the tomatoes over a bowl to remove the seeds.
• Put the tomatoes in the food processor and purée.
• Trim the top and bottom off each celery stalk and finely chop.
• Peel and finely chop the carrot.

Cook the soup

• Heat the olive oil in the large saucepan on medium and add the celery, carrot and paste and cook over low heat for 5 minutes, stirring constantly to avoid burning the spices.
• Add the tomato purée, vinegar, salt, pepper and 500 ml water.
• Simmer slowly for 30 minutes until the vegetables are soft.  Return to the food processor and purée until thick and smooth.

Serve the soup

• Check for seasoning and divide among the serving bowls.