spiced tomato soup for a winter's day...

I can't think of anything nicer than a big bowl of warming soup at this time of year. Nourishment for body and soul.

I found this recipe the other day, whilst sifting through old magazines and cuttings.
I've mentioned before that I am always tearing recipes from magazines and newspapers, which then accumulate in a pile on the desk or floor or tucked into a book.
From time to time I have to 'spring clean' and only keep those recipes which I think I will actually make.

Which is how I found this recipe for a rather posh tomato soup, torn from an old Waitrose Food magazine.

I remember being bitterly disappointed when, years ago, I first made home-made tomato soup. My taste buds were expecting the rather sweet, gloopy flavour of childhood favourite Heinz Cream of Tomato soup and the soup I made was nothing like it!

Much as Proust's madeleine evoked memories of his past life, so tinned tomato soup evokes nostalgic memories of my childhood for me!

But time and taste-buds have moved on and this soup was just as warm and comforting!

And with lentils and cashew nuts providing a good amount of protein, it really was a meal in its own right.

spiced tomato soup

Serves 4

adapted from Waitrose Food magazine

Ingredients:

2tbsp olive oil

1 red onion, chopped

1 red pepper, deseeded and chopped

2 carrots, peeled and chopped

2tsp ground coriander

2 tsp ground cumin

crushed garlic, 1 or 2 cloves to taste

2x400g tins chopped tomatoes

150g red lentils

1x400ml tin coconut milk

For the topping:

50g cashew nuts

20 g desiccated coconut

20g fresh coriander

Gently cook the onion, pepper and carrot in the oil for 5 minutes.

Add the ground coriander and cumin and cook for a further 2 minutes, then add the garlic, tomatoes, 250ml water and the lentils. Season, bring to the boil then simmer for 20-25 minutes.

Blend the soup, then add the coconut milk and reheat gently.

Meanwhile, blitz the topping ingredients with a pinch of salt and 4 tbsp water.

Ladle into bowls to serve and add a dollop of topping.

annjenny
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