Monthly Inspiration
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The greatest love stories are the result of chance encounters and random circumstances that transform into destiny. The love story between tomatoes and Italy began from a mid-16th century encounter between the old world and the new world, resulting in one of the most sublime unions of food and culture.
This divine match of fresh, vine ripened tomatoes and peppery extra virgin olive oil is one we like to celebrate regularly.
We don’t make a lot of soups in the summer bar a few exceptions, occasionally sun drenched tomatoes deserve a loving simmer.
We have a standing order with our local market, a message is sent every Friday evening to pre order our delicious haul of tomatoes grown in the Isle of Wright. Try the thetomatostall.co.uk if you are based in the UK.
This weekend, gather some happy people, lay your table with a summery palette of Reed linens and wild flowers and enjoy this vibrant chilled soup with lots of toppings
Nourish your body with this meal, tomatoes contain a great deal of Vitamin A and Vitamin C.
Ingredients
– 500 – 700 grams of fresh cherry tomatoes
– 1 head of garlic
– 1 yellow onion
– 1 chilli (optional)
– extra virgin olive oil
– 1 bunch of fresh thyme and basil
– Lots of good quality salt and pepper
– 1/2 cup of coconut cream or heavy cream
– 1/2 to 2/3 cup veggie stock, depending on how thick or loose you want the consistency to be
Toppings To Serve
– Vegan basil pesto
– Torn Ciabatta bread or Italian baguette
– Finely diced fresh tomato, cucumber & red onion
– Finely diced avocado sprinkled with fresh lemon juice.
Begin Cooking
Preheat your oven to 480 degrees F (250 C).
Drizzle lots of olive oil into a pan, add the sliced yellow onion, head of garlic cut in half, fresh basil and thyme, the red chilli, cherry tomatoes, more olive oil, and lots of salt and pepper, bake together for 25 – 35 minutes, or until the tomatoes are slightly charred on top.
Add the coconut cream, warmed up vegetable stock and the baked ingredients into a blender. Remove any lingering thyme stems and blend until completely smooth.
Allow to cool to room temperature and then chill in the fridge for an hour or two.
Prepare croutons for serving, place torn bread pieces on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil and bake for 10 minutes or until golden.
Serve the chilled soup harvest table style, in a large serving bowl in the middle of the table, drizzled with a little more olive oil and with lots of bowls of toppings,
– Vegan basil pesto for liberal spooning
– Homemade Italian Croutons
– Bowls of salsa (finely diced tomato, red onion & cucumber)
– Diced avocado
– Extra coconut cream or marscapone cheese.
Add a big garden salad and more fresh bread for mopping up the goodness.
“We find that setting aside time for family meals
in advance, allows everyone to add the occasion
to their calendars and look forward to
unwinding and connecting at the end of a long week.”
I puree my soup with an immersion blender for a silky finish. I don’t use anything to thicken it other than the tomatoes themselves, if you do find yourself with a slightly watery consistency, you can thicken it with good quality tomato puree or paste.
Nourish your body with this meal, tomatoes contain a great deal of Vitamin A and Vitamin C. These vitamins and the beta-carotene work together as antioxidants to neutralise harmful free radicals in your blood.
Tomatoes are also a major dietary source of the antioxidant lycopene, which has many health benefits, including reducing the risk of heart disease and cancer. Pack your weekend with vitamin C, potassium, folate, and vitamin K.
Taking time to lovingly prepare a meal for ourselves and our families, tends to be something we willingly give up when work gets stressful or our schedules overbooked. We find that setting aside time for family meals in advance, allows everyone to add the occasion to their calendars and look forward to unwinding and connecting at the end of a long week.
Wishing you a lovely summer lunch or Al Fresco dinner,
Karen Reed.
