a very special bowl of soup
brain food, seasonal hits + a vibrant, punchy summer soup recipe
It somehow felt wrong to write a newsletter about cooking with tomatoes without including a recipe for tomato soup…
…so this week’s Bonus newsletter looks to set the record straight.
I never used to be a fan of tomato soup. In fact other than tomato sauce (because that shit is like heroin for kids), I was kind-of anti all liquid forms of tomato - like the big bottle of V8 tomato juice (I feel like everyone’s Mum went through a phase of drinking this) that would take up far too much room in the door of the fridge. 3 litres of disappointment that blushed at me each time I searched hopefully for a carton of Fresh Up or Just Juice.
Perhaps the fact that most of my tomato soup experience had been straight from the can - often paired with a gelatinous slurp as it slid from its pantry bed, skinny-dipping into the saucepan - didn’t help its appeal.
But in adulthood, I’ve learned to find love in the depths of a bowl of tomato soup, especially one that’s overflowing with fresh, sun-kissed summer flavour.
This recipe is not your usual tomato soup - it boasts an intriguing but ultimately rewarding combination of flavours and some added heartiness to make it both soul-warming and filling enough to hold its own at the dinner table.
tamarind brings a unique sour sweetness which enhances the flavour of the tomatoes wonderfully
peanut butter & coconut cream add some creamy richness and nuttiness
orange adds a lovely floral, citrus aroma and flavour
cannellini beans for that heartiness I crave from a bowl of soup
Be sure to scroll to the bottom, for some other interesting reading, seasonal tips etc.
Enjoy,
Alby xx
Peanut, tamarind & orange tomato soup
Hands-on Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 55 minutes
serves 6
Cost estimate: $12.60 ($2.10 per serve)
Ingredients
4 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, finely sliced
500g carrots, peeled and diced into 1cm pieces
50g ginger, peeled and chopped
8 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
2 tbsp tamarind paste
1 tbsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cinnamon
finely grated zest of 1 orange
500g tomatoes, chopped
2 tbsp chopped oregano leaves, plus extra to serve
1 tsp sea salt, plus extra to taste
250ml vegetable stock
2 tbsp crunchy peanut butter
100ml coconut cream, plus extra to serve
freshly squeezed juice of 1 orange
2x 400g cans cannellini or butter beans, rinsed and drained
cracked black pepper
Method
Place a large heavy-based saucepan over medium heat. Add the olive oil and onion, and sauté for 10 minutes, until nicely softened. Add the carrot, ginger, garlic, tamarind, coriander, cinnamon and orange zest. Sauté for a couple of minutes, tossing through the onion. Add the tomato, oregano and salt, stirring through. Pour in the vegetable stock and 1 litre of boiling water. Increase the heat to high, bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to medium and simmer for about 30 minutes, until the carrots are very tender. Remove from the heat and stir through the peanut butter, coconut cream and orange juice. Blitz with a stick blender until very smooth. Add the cannellini beans, stirring through, then return to the heat and simmer for a few minutes. Add a hefty amount of cracked black pepper and adjust to taste with extra sea salt (I find another 1 tsp is usually about right). Spoon into bowls and serve warm with a drizzle of coconut cream, extra chopped oregano and freshly cracked black pepper.
Alby’s Advice:
This soup freezes excellently, or can be kept refrigerated for 1 week in an airtight container.
Tamarind paste can be purchased from most supermarkets in the ‘International’ aisle or at your local Asian supermarket. For even better taste, make your own tamarind paste from tamarind pulp - click here for my easy recipe.
You can swap peanut butter for tahini or almond butter; use regular cream, yoghurt or sour cream instead of coconut cream; swap fresh oregano for dried (or use whatever mediterranean herbs you have on hand, e.g. rosemary, parsley, basil, thyme); or substitute the cannellini beans for cooked chickpeas, lentils or your favourite protein.
This is best made in summer, but if making in winter when fresh tomatoes are out of season, substitute the tomatoes with two 400g cans of chopped tomatoes, and reduce the boiling water volume to 750ml.
Best of the season this fortnight (NZ):
Stonefruit - apricots, nectarines, plums, peaches
for a quick dessert, make a galette with homemade or store-bought shortcrust pastry. Roll out the pastry into a large disc, sprinkle the base with ground almonds, top with a single layer of sliced stone fruit, fold the edges in to encase the filling, and bake until golden brown (e.g. 160 fan for about 45 minutes).
Green beans
Tomatoes
Zucchini
these Zucchini & Polenta fritters look absolutely divine
Aubergines
Capsicums
halve and roast at 200 fan for 30 minutes until slightly jarred. Blitz with roasted nuts (hazelnuts or walnuts), garlic, spices, olive oil, salt and pepper for a delicious roasted capsicum dip.
Cucumbers
Last of the sweetcorn
Grill on the barbecue, still in their husks, so the kernels steam, then slather with chilli butter (whip together softened butter (plant-based or regular) with ground chilli and sea salt).
Early new season apples
Melons
Brain Food:
Does eating 5+ a day really boost your mental health? This review suggest yes!
A nicely digestible article summarising some ways to eat well for mental health
Next time you’re feeling stressed… try eating some kimchi?
A must watch - how a Māori principles-based framework is leading the way in food production led by Indigenous values.