Soup and a posh toastie... perfect food for the grey weather!
Phil’s in the kitchen today, and he’s kicking it off with the ultimate comfort food to banish the dismal weather - Creamy tomato soup with a side of Welsh rarebit.
Tomato soup
Serves 4
Ingredients
800g ripe, tasty vine tomatoes (halved)
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 tbsp tomato puree
4 tbsp olive oil
600mls water
2 x 10g vegetable stock cubes
Cornflour and water mixed together
Pinch of salt
Pinch of sugar
Balsamic vinegar
Ground pepper
100ml single cream
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 200C, Gas mark 6.
2. Place the tomatoes, garlic, tomato puree and olive oil into a baking tray. Cook for 20 minutes to shrivel up by roughly half, this helps to intensify the flavour.
3. Once cooked, place the tomatoes into a saucepan and then add the water and stock cubes. Bring to the boil and simmer for 10 minutes.
4. Liquidise the soup and pass through a fine sieve.
5. Reheat the soup and then add a little cornflour and water to thicken slightly, then season well with salt, sugar, balsamic vinegar and pepper.
6. Add the cream and serve with my Welsh rarebit (recipe below).
Welsh rarebit
Serves 2
Ingredients
150g strong Cheddar, very finely grated
1 level tsp English mustard powder
Pinch ground black pepper
Dash Worcestershire sauce
3 egg yolks
2 tbsp fresh chopped basil
50g finely chopped sun-blush tomatoes
2 slices white bread
Method
1. Preheat a grill to medium heat.
2. Toast the bread on one side only.
3. Place the cheeses, mustard powder, pepper, Worcestershire sauce and egg yolks into a bowl and mix well.
4. Pile onto the cheese mix uncooked side of the toast in the centre, and then spread out the mix to the edges, keeping the centre slightly domed.
5. Repeat with the second slice, then place both on a baking tray.
6. Place the tray on the middle shelf of the grill and start to cook.
7. Once the top is starting to lightly brown, slide the tray onto the bottom of the grill and cook until all the cheese is glazed, slightly domed and smooth.
8. Cool for 1 minutes so the cheese and egg set slightly, then cut into triangles and serve.