I just made this spicy soup for lunch using some left over vegetables.

INGREDIENTS

  • 3 peppers (red, green and yellow, or whichever you have to hand)
  • 1 red onion
  • 1 brown onion
  • 4 cloves of garlic
  • 1 large buffalo tomato (or 2-3 medium tomatoes)
  • 1 bay leaf
  • olive oil
  • 1.5-2 litres water
  • 2 vegetable stock cubes
  • salt and pepper
  • juice from 1/2 lemon (or use bottled lemon juice)
  • thyme
  • dried mixed herbs
  • 1/2 teaspoon chilli flakes (optional)

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees. Line a baking tray with aluminium foil. Quarter the buffalo tomato (or half them if using regular sized tomatoes) place flat side facing upwards on a tray and season with salt, pepper, thyme and mixed herbs. Remove the stem and seeds of the peppers and place the peppers with the bottom of the pepper facing upwards. Cover with lemon juice. Peel, then cut the onions in eighths and place on the tray. Peel the garlic and add to the tray. Roast for 30 minutes until the skins of the peppers are blackened. Remove from the oven and place the peppers in a bowl with a plate on top to help sweat the skins off. After 5 minutes or so remove the cover and peel the skins from the peppers.

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat and fry the roasted onions for a few minutes. Then add the remaining roasted vegetables. Add the stock cubes, water and bay leaf. Add chilli flakes to taste. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 20 minutes. Season with freshly cracked black pepper. Remove from the heat and allow to cool a little. Remove the bay leaf. Blend the soup and serve with crusty bread.