Reminiscent of the flavours from the south of France, this soup can be served hot or cold. It takes very little time to prepare and uses all the tomatoes you couldn’t resist at the farmers’ market.
Serves 6
INGREDIENTS:
2 tbsp vegetable oil (30 mL)
5 shallots, finely chopped
3 red bell peppers, finely chopped
1-1/2 lb fresh tomatoes*, skins removed, chopped (675g)
1 tsp sweet paprika (5mL)
1/2 tsp dried thyme (2.5 mL)
1/2 tsp dried tarragon (2.5 mL)
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper (1.2 mL)
1/4 tsp salt (1.2 mL)
1 bay leaf
3 cups chicken stock (720 mL)
2 tsp brown sugar (10 mL)
Salt & pepper to taste
1/2 cup whipping cream (120 mL)
*A similar quantity of canned tomatoes can be substituted.
METHOD:
- Place a stockpot over medium-high heat.
- Heat the vegetable oil and add the shallots.
- Cook the shallots until soft and translucent.
- Reduce the heat to medium and add the peppers and continue to cook until soft, approximately 3 minutes.
- Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds
- Add the tomatoes, paprika, thyme, tarragon, pepper, sale, bay leaf and chicken stock.
- Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
- Taste and add the brown sugar if the soup is a little acidic.
- Discard the bay leaf
- Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper
- Add the whipping cream and heat the soup through.
- Ladle the soup into serving bowls.
- Garnish with a sprig of fresh thyme.
TO REMOVE THE SKINS FROM THE TOMATOES…..
Using a sharp knife, score a small “X” into the bottom of each tomato. Drop into a pot of gently boiling water for one minute. The skins will loosen and start to peel away from the “X”. Plunge into a cold water bath. The skins will slip off with a little nudging with a sharp knife.
