by Mick Goodman

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 700g / 1½ lb red ripe tomatoes, quartered (skins left on)
• 1 medium onion, chopped small
• 1 medium potato, chopped small
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• ½ pint vegetable stock (I usually use veg cubes)
• 2 tsp fresh chopped basil
• 1½ tbsp olive oil
• Salt & freshly ground black pepper

Method

1. Gently heat up the olive oil in a thick saucepan. Add the onion and potato and let them soften slowly without browning — this takes about 10–15 minutes.
2. Now add the tomatoes, stir well, and let them cook for a minute. Pour in the stock, stir, season with salt and pepper, and add the garlic. Cover and simmer for 25 minutes.
3. When cooked, pass the soup through a sieve to remove skins and pips, then pour into a clean pan. Taste and adjust seasoning, add the basil, reheat gently and serve with crusty French bread. On hot days, this soup is delicious served ice cold.

Notes from Mick

• I quite often put in larger amounts of tomatoes but it’s your choice.
• If you cannot get fresh basil then use 1 teaspoon of dried, adding it at the same time as the tomatoes.