Spiced Tomato Soup

   

 

It was the perfect mug to enjoy this new soup which I created as a Halloween warmer this year.  I thought about doing pumpkin or sweet potato, but then settled on a warming spiced tomato soup.  I always have tons of tinned tomatoes in my larder and I wanted to use what I had to hand . . . and that way you would be sure to have those ingredients to hand as well . . . or at least I hope that you do!  

 

Sweet onions, tinned tomatoes, red chillies for heat, some garlic and stock and a bit of herbs is all you need to make this delicious soup.  You can adjust the amount of chillies according to how much heat you do or do not enjoy!  Obviously the more you add the spicier it will be.  I am a chilli wimp myself . . . I don't like things too overly hot . . . 

 

Mind you, the garnish of sour cream helps to cool it down a bit.  I got a bit fancy and piped it on with a baggie and dragged a toothpick through it so that it looked incredibly spider-webbed Halloween Ghoulishly frightful!  

☺     

 
  
It worked beautifully.  Mind you, then I got all common (as my ex boss would say) and crumbled my crackers into my soup but that is just me!  Not a pretentious bone in my body!  Enjoy!

   

*Spiced Tomato Soup*

Serves 4 to 6  

Printable Recipe  

A deliciously easy soup which uses store cupboard ingredients for the most part.  Very quick to put together!  

a splash of olive oil
2 400g tins of good quality chopped tomatoes in tomato juice (2 14oz tins)

450ml of good quality chicken stock

2 TBS good quality balsamic vinegar

1 medium onion, peeled and chopped

1 small clove of garlic, peeled and minced

1 tsp brown sugar

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp fennel seeds

1/4 tsp black pepper

1 small red chilli, trimmed, seeded and finely chopped

(wear gloves and don't touch your face!)  

To serve:

sour cream      

Heat a splash of olive oil in a deep saucepan.  Add the onion and red chilies,  and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion has softened without browning.  Stir in the garlic and fennel seed.  Cook and stir for about a minute.  Add the vinegar.  Cook, until the vinegar has reduced and almost evaporated.   Tip in the tinned tomatoes, the chicken stock, seasoning and brown sugar.  Bring to the boil, then reduce to a low simmer and cook for 15 to 20 minutes.   Remove from the heat and blitz until smooth with an immersion blender.   Reheat gently.   Ladle into hot bowls, and garnish each serving with a dollop of sour cream.