Comforting Tomato Soup

Recipe courtesy of Psychologies Magazine (December 2015) and taken from At Home with Umami by Laura Santtini.

Serves : 4-6

Ingredients :
190g butter
1 medium white onion, diced
2 x 400g cans chopped tomatoes
1.5 litres tomato juice
2 tblsp sugar, to taste
2 chicken stock cubes
freshly ground black pepper
1 handful flat-leaf parsley, chopped
1 handful fresh basil, chopped

Step One : Melt the butter in a large pot over a medium heat. Once melted, add the onion and cook until translucent. Add the chopped tomatoes, tomato juice and sugar. Stir to combine.

Step Two : Add the chicken stock cubes and some freshly ground black pepper and stir well. Allow the soup to boil for 20-30 minutes.

Step Three : Turn off the heat and using a stick blender, blend the soup until it is completely smooth. Stir in fresh herbs and serve.

Meatballs with Tomato Sauce

Serves: 4

Prep: 25 mins; Cook: 35 mins

These tasty pork meatballs are easy to make and will be popular with the whole family.

Ingredients:
4 tblsp (60ml) oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 tsp (5ml) fennel seeds
8oz (225g) minced pork
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 tblsp (30ml) fresh parsley, chopped
1 tsp (5ml) lemon juice
4oz (125g) fresh white or brown breadcrumbs
1 egg
Salt and pepper
2 tsp (10ml) wholegrain mustard
2oz (50g) plain flour

Tomato Sauce:
1 tbsp (15ml) olive oil
2 carrots, grated
14oz (396g) can chopped tomatoes
juice of 1 orange
3 tbsp (45ml) sherry (optional)
Salt and pepper

Step One : Heat half the oil in a frying pan and gently fry the onion and fennel seeds until the onion is softened.

Step Two : In a large bowl mix together the pork mince with the onion, garlic, parsley, lemon juice, breadcrumbs, egg, seasoning and mustard combining together well.

Step Three : Using a tablespoon scoop out spoonfuls of the mixture and form into round meatball shapes. Roll the meatballs round in the flour shaking off any excess.

Step Four : Heat the remaining oil and fry the meatballs, a few at a time, until browned.

Step Five : Make the sauce by heating the olive oil in a saucepan and cooking the carrots until softened. Add the tomatoes, orange juice and sherry, season well, then simmer over a gentle heat until the sauce is thick and pungent.

Step Six : Add the meatballs to the sauce and continue cooking for a further 20 minutes. Serve hot with potatoes and broccoli.

Other Meatball recipes can be found here …

Sticky Tomato & Olive Aubergines

Recipe courtesy of Psychologies Magazine and is taken from the book : Salad Feasts: How to assemble the perfect meal by Jessica Elliott Dennison.

The method for this salad is so simple, you can’t go wrong. It pays to take the time to really brown the aubergines, allowing them to pick up a nice colour and go silky soft in the centre.

Sticky Tomato & Olive Aubergines Ingredients (Serves 4):

2 firm aubergines (500g)
90ml olive oil
1red onion
2 garlic cloves
2 tbsp capers, drained
400g tin chopped tomatoes
30g sultanas
1 ½ tbsp red wine vinegar
50g pitted olives (any colour, drained weight)
50g wild rocket
Small bunch (20g) flat-leaf parsley
Small bunch (15g) basil
1/3 lemon
4 slices sourdough bread (300g)

Heat a large frying over a high heat while you cut the aubergines into large chunks (roughly 2.5cm). Add most of the oil to the pan along with the aubergine chucks and cook for 5-6 minutes until golden and beginning to darken on all sides.
Meanwhile, peel and halve the onion then slice into thin half-moons. Peel the garlic and slice into thin slivers. Add the remaining oil to the aubergine pan and reduce the heat to low, then fry the onion for 3 minutes until beginning to soften. Add the garlic and cook for a further 2 minutes, taking care not to burn the garlic.
Add the capers to the pan along with the tomatoes, sultanas, vinegar, olives and a few splashes of water. Increase the heat to high, pop on a lid and cook for 7-10 minutes or until the aubergine is soft in the centre (keep an eye on the pan and add a few more splashes of water if it’s looking too dry). Remove from the heat and allow to cool to room temperature. Keep in the fridge if you’re making a day or two ahead.
When you’re ready to serve, wash the rocket in a basin of cold water to freshen the leaves, pat dry and place in a large mixing bowl. Tear in the herbs, discarding the stalks, squeeze over the lemon and gently toss. Toast the bread, then divide between four plates or a large serving board, as pictured. Smear over the aubergines then top with the lemony rocket.

Mozzarella and Tomato Bruschetta

Serves: 6; Prep: 10 mins; Cost: £5.35; Cals per portion: 250

Ingredients: 3 beef tomatoes, sliced; 3 x 100g pkts mozzarella di bufala; extra virgin olive oil, to drizzle over ingredients; salt and freshly ground black pepper; 18 fresh basil leaves; 6 slices olive Ciabatta bread; 2 cloves of garlic, peeled

Arrange the tomatoes and sliced mozzarella on a platter then drizzle with olive oil. Season and scatter over the basil leaves and olives. Set aside in a cool place until ready to serve.
Just before you are ready to eat, toast the slices of Ciabatta until golden, then rub the surface of each with the garlic. Drizzle a little olive oil over the bread and serve warm with the salad.

Menu idea: Chicken with sage and prosciutto; Garlic and herb roast potatoes; Peppers with fennel; Mascarpone and chocolate cassata

Do you have problems when slicing Mozzarella? Maybe this will help?