Tomato and Basil Soup

Tomatoes are high in Vitamin A and C and are naturally low in calories. They are also an excellent source of lycopene, which is an antioxidant that fights free radicals. Tomato soup is a great comfort food made from tomatoes and may be served hot or cold. It could be smooth in texture or include large pieces of tomato. Conventional toppings for tomato soup include sour cream and croutons.

Ocimum basilicum know as Sweet Basil and generally used in Italian cooking is a member of the large mint family. Basil is normally used fresh in cooked recipes and is added at the last moment, since cooking rapidly obliterates the flavor.

Ingredients serve 4

300 g finely diced bacon

2 tbls oil

1 onion chopped (150g)

1 tsp crushed garlic

1 potato peeled and sliced (150g)

400 g peeled and chopped tomatoes

2 tbls tomato paste

1000 g vegetable stock

¼ tsp ground oregano

¼ tsp salt

¼ tsp black pepper

1 bay leaf

1 tbls dried basil or 2 tbls fresh finely chopped basil

Method

Place bacon in a frying pan and fry until crisp while moving the bacon around. Drain the fat and put the crispy bacon in a serving dish. Place oil in a large saucepan on medium heat, cook onion and garlic until soft while stirring. Add potato, tomatoes, tomato paste, vegetable stock, oregano, salt, pepper, bay leaf and basil. Bring to the boil and simmer covered for approx. 20 minutes. Puree the soup either with a stick blender or in a normal blender. Return the soup to the saucepan and reheat. Pour into serving bowls, drizzle some fresh cream and sprinkle some chopped basil and crispy bacon on top. Serve with Italian sourdough bread.

Note:  Fresh cream can be substituted with sour cream or shredded cheese.