something for cold winter days

here is a gorgeos tomato soup recipe for those cold winter days.

you will need

2 carrots
2 sticks of celery
2 medium onions
2 cloves of garlic
olive oil
2 chicken or vegetable stock cubes, preferably organic
2 x 400g tins of plum tomatoes
6 large ripe tomatoes
a small bunch of fresh basil
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Peel and roughly slice the carrots
Slice the celery
Peel and roughly chop the onions

Peel and slice the garlic
Put a large pan on a medium heat and add 2 tablespoons of olive oil
Add all your chopped and sliced ingredients and mix together with a wooden spoon

Cook for around 10 to 15 minutes with the lid askew, until the carrots have softened but are still holding their shape, and the onion is lightly golden
Put the stock cubes into a jug or pan and pour in 1.8 litres of boiling water from the kettle
Stir until the stock cubes are dissolved, then add to the pan with your tinned and fresh whole tomatoes, including the green stalks that may still be attached to some of them

Give it a good stir and bring to the boil
Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes with the lid on
Meanwhile, pick your basil leaves

Remove the pan from the heat, season with salt and pepper and add the basil leaves
Using a hand blender or liquidizer, pulse the soup until smooth
Season again before dividing between your serving bowls

off feel a bit tipsy