We're moving towards the end of the tomato season here and as we are getting the first days of welcome rain, the crop promises to finish the season en beauté but also juicily. So this is a recipe I invented to profit from the rainwater, celebrate the end of the season and look forward to the next. For it is the nature of all gardeners to be eternally optimistic and I am no exception. As proof, this year I planted five pineapple crowns and they have seemingly taken root so watch this space next year for the great Normandie tropical fruit festival!
I've always liked the concept of soup and salad, hot, cold, cooked, raw and finally, smoothly blended juxtaposed to chunky and crisp. So I decided to put them all in one dish together. Ending up with the combination of opposing but complementary textures and flavours all in one spoonful. I'm also adding oatcake farls as an accompaniment because I love the idea of adding a further taste and texture to the dish. You can find the recipe for them here. We eat them both with breakfast and as an alternative to crackers or bread with cheeses and savouries.
12 medium sized juicy (end-of-season) tomatoes
A crisp lettuce
Assorted fresh herbs of your choice, here I use lemon balm and basil
2 zucchini/courgettes
2 large firm/waxy potatoes, (if they have good skins, I leave them on)
2 carrots
1 dessert spoon of thick raw cream per person
For cooking: butter or coconut oil
Place the sliced red pepper in a heavy bottomed pan and sweat them lightly in a little butter using a wooden spatula.
Add the tomatoes, cover and leave to cook on a gentle heat until they are soft.
Meanwhile cut the potatoes into small cubes and shallow fry/sauté. Prepare the salad vegetables (grate carrots, chop or grate courgette/zucchini, tear herbs..).
Blend soup to a smooth purée with a stick blender or if you prefer just use a potato masher or fork.
Add one dessert spoon of raw cream and a couple of spoons of sautéed potatoes to each bowl and pour over the hot soup mixture.
Add the cold raw vegetables and herbs and serve with oakcake farls.
If you manage to save some soup, it is equally delicious served again cold the next day or frozen and kept until required.
There it is, a whole delicious meal in one bowl.
If you have enjoyed this recipe then please think about sharing it and/or joining this or any other of our blogs. We also love to get feedback so feel free to comment and/or ask questions.
Here in Normandie we plant tomatoes with chopped nettle leaves as both a fertiliser and protection from maladies. I also companion plant with ipomea aka Morning Glories, showing here is the beautiful and aptly named 'Milky Way'.
Hope to see you here again for another recipe from an old farmhouse in Normandie,
All the best,
Sue
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© Sue Cross 2016
Stop Go Soup
INGREDIENTS
A red bell pepper12 medium sized juicy (end-of-season) tomatoes
A crisp lettuce
Assorted fresh herbs of your choice, here I use lemon balm and basil
2 large firm/waxy potatoes, (if they have good skins, I leave them on)
2 carrots
1 dessert spoon of thick raw cream per person
For cooking: butter or coconut oil
METHOD
Place the sliced red pepper in a heavy bottomed pan and sweat them lightly in a little butter using a wooden spatula.
Add the tomatoes, cover and leave to cook on a gentle heat until they are soft.
Add one dessert spoon of raw cream and a couple of spoons of sautéed potatoes to each bowl and pour over the hot soup mixture.
Add the cold raw vegetables and herbs and serve with oakcake farls.
If you manage to save some soup, it is equally delicious served again cold the next day or frozen and kept until required.
There it is, a whole delicious meal in one bowl.
If you have enjoyed this recipe then please think about sharing it and/or joining this or any other of our blogs. We also love to get feedback so feel free to comment and/or ask questions.Here in Normandie we plant tomatoes with chopped nettle leaves as both a fertiliser and protection from maladies. I also companion plant with ipomea aka Morning Glories, showing here is the beautiful and aptly named 'Milky Way'.
Hope to see you here again for another recipe from an old farmhouse in Normandie,
All the best,
Sue
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© Sue Cross 2016
