Tuesday, July 26, 2011

30 minute lunch - Tomato, parsley & bread soup


Winter lunches are all about soup for me. I don't like eating salads when it's cold, I need that warm & full in the tummy feeling. Since making my own soups I'm more and more disappointed with the range in supermarkets here, and miss the delicious Covent Garden soups from the UK. Don't think Coles will be stocking them anytime soon though.

I modified this recipe from Marion Grasby's stunning new book, Recipes and stories from a hungry cook.  The layout is so enticing, and I'm enjoying reading about the thai recipes, and where they come from. She's incredibly talented, and I hope she is able to outgrow the Masterchef label that is placed on her.


Thanks Warringah library - I would be bankrupt without you supplying me with new cookbooks!

Surprisingly enough, I didn't have tinned tomatoes in my pantry today, so I used fresh.  I love that Marion suggests using tinned, this makes it a soup that would easily come from ingredients already in the kitchen, rather than needing to make a trip to the shops.

Ingredients:

1kg fresh tomatoes or 3 tins of tomatoes
1/4 cup olive oil
3 garlic cloves, finely diced
1 handful of basil or other fresh herbs (I used parsley)
2 slices stale bread
2 teaspoons white sugar
Parmesan to serve
Salt & pepper to taste


Method:

Heat the garlic in the olive for about a minute in a saucepan.  Then add the tomatoes and leave to simmer for half an hour or so to develop their flavour.
After this time, taste and add sugar and salt as necessary.  Then tear the bread and add it to the soup, then finally adding fresh herbs.
Can be served immediately with parmesan and fresh herbs to garnish.

8 comments:

  1. Mmmm this soup looks so simple and delicious! I've never made tomato soup before (I've had a recipe on my fridge for ages though!), definitely will make it soon now :) Thanks x

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  2. I just bought Marion's cookbook a few weeks ago. I love it! Having no T.V in our house, I wasn't even aware of her Master Chef history until I started reading it. To me that means this book will stand on it's own feet, without the MC association :-)

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  3. Love it. Simple and delicious. This would be perfect to make and take to work!

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  4. This is not a book I would see on the bookshelves in the U.K, so I must thank you for introducing it to me as I have heard of Marion Grasby. I am tempted to buy it, but I know my husband won't allow me to (yet), we keeping our eyes on our pennies. Maybe in the near future though.

    PS Re the Covent Garden Soups, they got a few books out - may be worth getting one, then you can make your own at home :)

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  5. thanks for visiting
    Hannah - It was my first time too for tomato, I tend to the root veggies normally!
    Emma - I often wonder what would happen in our house if we didn't have a TV, maybe more productive things?
    Anna - you could almost make it at work, it's that simple!
    Shaheen - I think MC Australia will be airing in the UK soon - Marion is very talented so be sure to have a look. I should definitely look into Covent Garden books, great idea.

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  6. I would like to cook something from Marion's book too. Going to the library is a great idea than buying too many cookbooks.

    This soup looks very delicious!

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  7. Go Marion! Can't wait to check out her book. This looks so delicious. I love me a tomatoey soup :)
    Heidi xo

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I love getting comments!