Welcome to Mediterranean Life
The Best Red Pepper & Tomato Soup
Hello and welcome.
Are you ready to enjoy new and traditional Mediterranean recipes, with a focus on dishes from Cyprus, Greece & Italy?
This is my first posting here on Substack, hopefully one of many. A heartfelt thank you, to subscribers who have been patiently waiting for signs of life from this newsletter, I apologise for the delay. Without further ado let us get started.
I imagine there cannot be many of you who are fond of the winter season. However, it is the season for daydreams of Mediterranean sun & sea, and visions of warm, gentle breezes, instead of freezing gusts of wind. Winter is a time for comfort food. There’s nothing more comforting than a bowl of hot, flavoursome soup. One of our favourites is Red Pepper and Tomato Soup, bursting with the sun-ripened goodness of tangy tomatoes (tinned and fresh) and capsicum peppers.
A rich, flavour packed red pepper and tomato soup, with basil. Easy to cook. Perfect any time of year. Serves 3 - 4.🍅 🥣
Ingredients:
1 Red pepper (chopped)
1 Onion (chopped)
2 Cloves of garlic
5 vine tomatoes (chopped)
2 Tablespoons of olive oil
Chopped fresh basil
2 tsp Tomato puree
1 Tin of chopped tomatoes
500 ml (approx. 2 cups) Vegetable stock
125 ml (approx. 1/2 cup) Water
1 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp Ground black pepper
To Serve 1/4 cup Pouring cream
Basil leaves
Instructions:
Remove the top and seeds from a red bell pepper.
Slice and dice the pepper.
Slice and dice 5 vine tomatoes.
Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to a heated frying pan.
Dice a large onion and add to the frying pan.
Add the diced red pepper to the pan. Fry on a medium to low heat.
Cook until the onion and pepper have soften and the onion turns golden brown.
Add the chopped tomatoes to the pan.
Cook for several minutes.
Transfer the onions, red pepper & tomatoes to a pan, and continue to cook on a medium heat.
Add 500ml of vegetable stock (approx. 2 cups)
Add 2 tsp of chopped garlic, 1 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp of black pepper and chopped fresh basil leaves.
Add 125 ml (approx. 1/2 cup) water.
Continue to cook on a medium heat, then open, and add the contents of a tin of chopped tomatoes.
Add a pinch of sugar, to counteract the acidity of the tomatoes.
Add 2 tsp of tomato puree.
Turn down to a low heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add more water if needed.
Leave to cool for a few minutes before blending the soup.
Serve with a swirl of pouring cream and fresh basil leaves.
Watch our YouTube video with full instructions:
Enjoy, and I’ll be back with more soon.