TOMATO AND RED PEPPER SOUP

Preparation time: 30 minutes or 60 minutes depending on how the peppers are cooked Cooking time: 25 minutes

Either roast the red peppers in the oven 200°C/180°C Fan/Gas Mark 6 for 30 minutes with 1 tbsp of olive oil for 30–40 minutes or…

Place a large saucepan onto heat; add the 2 tbsps of olive oil.

Wait until it is hot, and then add the chunks of red pepper. It should sizzle loudly straight away.

Put a lid on the pan and leave to cook for about 5 minutes until softened and blackened slightly (don’t worry; the black bits will give the soup its savoury “roasted” flavour).

If the peppers have been roasted in oven. Place a saucepan onto the heat and add the remaining tbsp of olive oil.

Add the onion and carrot and cook again with the lid on for a further 15 minutes until softened but not browned, stir occasionally.

Add the tins of tomatoes, vegetable stock cubes, boiling water and pinch of sugar. Season with cracked black pepper. Leave to cook gently for about 25 minutes.

Leave to cool a little, then either use a liquidiser or a hand held blender to blend until smooth. If the red peppers have been cooked in the oven add at this stage.

Return to the heat to heat through again.

Serve with Mevalia Bread, warm bread sticks or croutons. The soup freezes really well.

USEFUL TIPS

It’s very easy to do, as the “roasting”of the pepper can be done in the saucepan first, before the other ingredients are added.