Creamy Tomato Soup

Serves 4-6 Adults

Ingredients:

• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 2 onions - chopped
• 2 celery sticks - chopped
• 300g carrots - chopped
• 500g potato - diced
• 4 bay leaves
• 5tbsp tomato puree
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 2 tbsp red or white wine vinegar
• 4 x 400g cans of chopped tomatoes
• 500g passata
• 3 vegetable stock cubes
• 400ml whole milk

Method:

1. Put the oil, onions, celery, carrots, potatoes and bay leaves in a big casserole dish, or two saucepans. Fry gently until the onions are softened – about 10-15 mins. Fill the kettle and boil it.
2. Stir in the tomato purée, sugar, vinegar, chopped tomatoes and passata, then crumble in the stock cubes. Add 1 litre boiling water and bring to a simmer. Cover and simmer for 15 mins until the potato is tender, then remove the bay leaves. Purée with a stick blender (or ladle into a blender in batches) until very smooth. Season to taste and add a pinch more sugar if it needs it. The soup can now be cooled and chilled for up to 2 days, or frozen for up to 3 months.
3. To serve, reheat the soup, stirring in the milk – try not to let it boil. Serve.