Soups and Stews Recipes - Tomato and Garlic Soup Recipe

Ingredients

• 10 cloves garlic

• 1 red onion

• 2 tablespoons oil

• 2 cans chopped tomatoes (400 g/14 oz each)

• 500 ml/17 fl oz (2 1/4 cups) beef stock (broth)

• 200 ml tomato juice

• 1 bay leaf

• 1 tablespoon sweet soy sauce

• 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

• 1 pinch sugar

• salt

• pepper

• 100 g/3 1/2oz crème fraiche

• 1 handful basil leaves

Serves 4

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Method:

1. Peel the garlic and the onions; cut the onion in rings.

2. Heat the oil in a large saucepan and lightly fry the onion rings and cloves of garlic.

3. Add the chopped tomatoes with the juice to the onion and garlic. Stir and add the beef stock (broth), tomato juice and bay leaves.

4. Season with soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper. Bring to the boil and stir. Reduce the heat and and simmer for about 30 minutes.

5. Using a perforated spoon, remove the bay leaves and garlic cloves from the soup. Using a fork, mash two of the cloves and return to the soup.

6. Stir in the crème fraiche. Taste and season if necessary and simmer for another 5 minutes. Garnish with the basil leaves.

Note: This soup owes its name to the ten cloves of garlic used in preparing it. Because eight of the cloves are removed shortly before the soup is ready, the garlic is not overwhelming.