Roasted Tomato and Red Pepper Soup√

In October I went to Bristol to be with my son Daniel, my daughter-in-law Abby and their beautiful, one week old baby girl - Amelia Freya - my first grand-daughter.

I took care of the shopping, cooking and washing up so that Daniel and Abby could get to know this new little person in their lives without having to worry about feeding themselves as well.

My kitchen frenzies were altogether gentler during that time ... quieter so as not to wake the baby but also as a gesture of respect to Daniel and Abby's beautiful new kitchen since I am naturally a messy, untidy cook at best. I noticed a slower pace also because my kitchen slave did not accompany me on this trip so I had to wash up as I went along.

Amelia is a precious little pixie who is gradually getting the hang of life outside that snug, convenient womb. For those first few weeks she was annoyingly wide awake in the middle of the night when everyone else wanted to sleep. We thought we might rearrange 'visiting times' for friends and rellies - having them come at midnight to play with the baby while we all slept!!!

Daniel, Abby & Amelia (one day old)




















One particularly fine frenzied day I made a big pot of bolognese sauce, two monster meat loaves, a coconut lime drizzle cake and this bright, velvety soup. I made enough of everything to feed us with variations for a good couple or three meals with plenty left over for the freezer for rations after granny went home!!!

The soup is deceptively easy - it positively zings with flavor. It is particularly welcome to be reminded of the summer sunshine when the autumn leaves are crunching underfoot.

Ingredients
Tomatoes (nice red ones)
Red peppers (nice red ones)
Garlic
Olive oil
Salt
(Fresh lime juice)

You'll need a bag of tomatoes and one of red peppers
The quantities and weight don't matter - the bags should be roughly the same size
If you make a smallish soup you can make it all in one pan
I always think this is a mistake - it doesn't take much more time or energy to make a huge pot of soup that will last at least 5 days in the fridge and/or freeze beautifully.

Wash and dry the tomatoes and the peppers and peel the garlics

Cut the tomatoes in 4 (or 8 if you use big beefie toms) and place them skin side down in a large, shallow baking pan - don't smash them all up against each other
Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt
Cut the peppers in 2, pull and shake out the seeds and place them skin side UP on another pan (they don't need anything drizzling over them)
Place in a Very Hot Oven (450/225) - the peppers on the top shelf to start with - for 20-30 minutes - the skins should brown and even burn a bit
Pull them out once they have started to blacken

Throw a handful of peeled garlic cloves (you can never have too many) over the tomatoes
Move them to the top shelf and bake for another 15 minutes (until the garlic has started to brown)

While the tomatoes are cooking peel the blackened skins off the peppers
They will come off easily - you don't have to remove all the skin
Throw them into a blender
Add a cup of water (or stock) to the pan and 'deglaze' any juices in the bottom or sides
Add to the blender and blend until completely smooth, until the skins are completely liquidated!

Pour into a large pan or bowl
Once the tomatoes and garlic are cooked cool them a little then throw them into the blender
Add a cup of water (or stock) to the pan and 'deglaze' any juices
Add to the blender and blend until completely smooth, until the skins are completely liquidated!
Add to the blended peppers and add salt to taste.
Add the juice of 1/2 - 1 lime
This is not an essential ingredient and no one should be able to taste it but it does potentiate all the other flavors in a deliciously mysterious way.
If the soup is too thick then add water or stock until the texture is just right - not too thin, not too thick
Serve as is - it really doesn't need anything else.

If you must you can serve with a drizzle of olive oil, or basil or chilli oil, or a dollop of sour cream and some chopped herbs (basil or chives or parsley).

Bon appetite!!