Summer Tomato Soup

[Twitchin Kitten]

I bought a cookbook with nothing but soups looking for some interesting recipes. I wanted to stray from the traditional and ordinary and the Middle Eastern. Although the Mid East has some interesting cold and hot soups, I knew there was much, much more to be had! So here goes with some recipes from this book!

** The success of this soup depends on having ripe, full flavored tomatoes such as an oval plum variety, so make this when the tomato season is at its peak!

Summer Tomato Soup

serves 4

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp olive oil
1 large onion chopped
1 carrot, chopped
2 1/4 pounds ripe tomatoes, quartered
2 cloves garlic, chopped
5 sprigs fresh thyme or 1/4 tsp dried thyme
4 or 5 sprigs fresh marjoram or 1/4 tsp dried marjoram
1 bay leaf
3 Tbsp creme fraiche, sour cream or plain yogurt plus a little extra for garnish
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Heat the olive in a large saucepan or flameproof casserole.

Add the onion and carrot and cook over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes until just soft, sitrring occasionally.

Add the quartered tomatoes, chopped garlic, and herbs. Lower the heat and simmer, covered for 30 minutes.

Discard the bay leaf. Strain the soup. Stir in the cream or yogurt and season. Leave to cool to room temperature and then chill in the refrigerator. Serve cold.

variation: If you prefer, use oregano instead of marjoram and parsley instead of thyme.