I am making tomato and basil soup for lunch today, as some friend is coming. He wants to learn to make it too. I don?t add carrots, but do occasionally add a red pepper for colour.

My normal way is;

1. Fry onions, in a little oil and butter.

2. Add tomatoes, mix, soften.

3. Add vegetable stock (usually water plus Stock Pot or vegetarian bouillon), simmer until fully softened, about 7-8 minutes.

4. Blend and sieve it.

5. Add a handful of basil leaves, give it a quick blend again.

6. Adjust seasoning.

7. Re-heat and serve with a few leaves on top.

I sometimes add chilli flakes while frying onions.

For cream of tomatoes, I add a couple of tbs. of double cream or replace some of the water with full cream milk, adding it towards the end.

How do you make yours? Do you have any suggestions to make it better, tastier? I am going to write it up for the website, haven?t got a recipe for it yet.

I hope some of you see my post in next couple of hours :-).

Are you looking over my shoulder? !! lol.. I was just looking back at my tomato soup recipes as I thought I'd missed one...(I hadn't)

Tomato and Red Pepper Soup 3

and

Tomato Soup with Pasta

Steve

I think for a classic tomato and basil soup it is best kept really simple, with good quality ripe tomatoes the less other ingredients added the better.

I probably end up adding too much but lemon juice, paprika or even sugar can be added to taste but let the tomatoes and basil shine!

Winton

I did look at them this morning Steve, but I am thinking of doing pure tomato juice. My massage lady has just been and she is a trained cook. she said she add a splash of balsamic vinegar at the end. I will try that. I will get back with picture ;-), later on.

Pizza dough is on the go. I have added some organo to the dough this time. Have no mushrooms in the fridge, so using some dry porcini, re-hydrated!

Hope the tomato and basil soup went well Mamta.

Bit late now, but I was talking to a friend who is rather a 'Queen of Soups' (although I got one over her when I gave her Kavey's Carrot and Coriander soup recipe!) - she agreed with your massage lady on the splash of balsamic but also roasts the tomatoes for 45 minutes; you get smaller bowls of soup but a much more concentrated flavour!

Look forward to your finalised recipe on-site.

Winton

the way i have always made it is by roasting the halved tomatoes, basil leaves and garlic cloves smeared in olive oil.

Winton, very pleased to hear my soup recipe impressed your soup queen friend. I don't make soups very much, as I'm only in the mood for soup now and again, but I do love that one. It's my adaptation of one from a recipe book, but I made quite a few changes so it's not the same anymore...

Mum, your tomato and basil sounds nice. Like the idea of balsamic. And roasting the tomatoes first also sounds like a great way to introduce more flavour.

Of course, the most important thing is really good tomatoes. Don't buy insipid out-of-season rubbish ones as they're all water and no flavour!