30 min cooking time is plenty for this soup…yet we prepare our in advance when planning a day in the garden or a long walk. There is something rewarding in coming home, heating up this lovely warmer and enjoying the layers of taste and texture: a subtle hint of chilli, sublime fragrance of oregano, sweetness of root vegetables… there is another reason too. Although there is nothing wrong with freshly made soup it actually tastes better the next day when all the flavours marry together and harmoniously pamper our taste buds.

 

Ingredients:

  • 1 medium size onion chopped
  • 1 large clove of garlic crushed
  • ¼ large swede (200-220g) cut into 1cm cubes
  • 3 carrots (200-220g) cut into 1cm cubes
  • 2 tins of chopped tomatoes
  • 1 tbsp tomato puree
  • 1 tin of red kidney beans (rinsed)
  • 1 tsp oregano
  • ¼ tsp crushed chilli
  • 1000ml  chicken or vegetable stock (or stock cube dissolved in 1oooml of boiling water)
  • ½ tbsp salt
  • 1tbsp olive oil
  • knob of butter
  • parmesan cheese (optional)

Method

Gently heat a pan with olive oil and butter. Sweat onion with no colour, then add garlic, oregano, chilli and cook for further 3 mins.

Mix in tomato puree and pour in stock. Bring to boil and simmer for 10min. Then add chopped tomatoes and kidney beans.

Let it simmer for another 5 min, then season to taste.

Serve with parmesan shavings on top and crusty bread

Tip: you can substitute parmesan for grana padano or grated cheddar cheese.