Tomato & basil soup with cheesy croutons: from Jacarandell Farm to Table

abbybrandell
Jun 5, 2020
2 min read

I think we are all in need of a “pick-me-up” at the moment. Let’s face it, 2020 has not been the best year so far! This soup will improve your mood, I just know it!

Living on a tomato farm makes this a “must have” for winter lunches. I make sure that I’ve got a good supply of frozen tomatoes for soups, stews, curries, vegetarian dishes, chilli sauce and so on, to see us through the winter once the tomato season is over. Fresh is best of course, and I’ve just used up the last of the crop to make this delicious tangy tomato and basil soup.

Fresh farm tomatoes: the riper the better for this recipe!

Basil is such a fragrant herb, and it is perfectly matched with tomatoes, which grow prolifically here in the Umguza Valley. With our warm climate and plentiful water, the herb garden is bursting with beautiful basil.

Many cooks take the seeds out of tomatoes for soups, but I don’t. Call me lazy, but those seeds do not bother me at all.

From the herb garden: gorgeous green chives, basil and parsley

To skin tomatoes, simply cut a shallow cross on each base, and pop them in boiling water for a minute. Once cool, the skins will peel off very easily.

Here is my recipe for this delicious soup – it will serve 6.

TOMATO & BASIL SOUP WITH CHEESY CROUTONS

Approx 20 ripe tomatoes

2 medium to large onions

1 teaspoon garlic

2 tablespoons sunflower oil or butter

1500 mls good chicken stock

A big handful of basil leaves, a few sprigs of parsley and a bunch of snipped chives

¼ teaspoon salt

Freshly ground black pepper

¼ teaspoon chilli flakes

¼ teaspoon paprika

Skin the tomatoes. Fry the onions and garlic in sunflower oil or butter in a large saucepan.

Add the skinned tomatoes and stir, using Mr Sibanda’s Spatula. Add the stock and S&P, chilli and paprika and bring to the boil.

Tomato and basil soup with cheesy croutons, served on a Jacarandell oval lizard board.

Simmer for at least half an hour until the liquid is reduced nicely. Add the basil leaves and parsley. Use a hand held blender to blend the ingredients, and simmer further if necessary to thicken up the soup. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.

Fry small squares of bread in oil to make croutons (I use half a slice per person), and grate a wedge of cheddar cheese. Serve the soup in a deep bowl, on a Jacarandell Oval Board (optional of course!)

Place grated cheese and croutons on the side, with a sprig of basil to pretty it all up. Swirl in a blob of cream and sprinkle some chopped parsley and chives on top.

I’d love to hear your thoughts on this recipe. For any information on Jacarandell products, please drop me a line on frandell@yoafrica.com or comment below.