Tomato soup with chorizo and ciabatta croutons

Chorizo gives an extra special flavour

Time: 1 hour
Serves: 4 - 6

Ingredients:

• 1 onion, peeled and chopped
• 2 celery sticks, chopped
• 2 carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
• 750 ml (3 cups) vegetable stock
• 5 medium slicing/heirloom tomatoes, peeled and chopped
• 2 x 410 g tins whole-peeled tomatoes
• 15 ml (1 T) sugar
• 2 fresh bay leaves
• salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• Fresh basil, to garnish

Croutons:

• 200 g chorizo, chopped
• 1 ciabatta loaf, torn
• small handful fresh thyme, chopped

Method:

1. For the tomato soup, mix together the onion, celery and carrots in a large pot over medium heat, and cook until soft, 10 minutes. Add the remaining soup ingredients, put the lid on and simmer over low heat until the veggies are cooked, 25 minutes.
2. For the croutons, fry the chorizo in a pan over medium heat until crispy, about 10 minutes. Transfer the chorizo to a large bowl. In the same pan, fry the bread chunks until browned and crispy. Add the chorizo to the pan and mix to combine. Add the thyme, stir to combine and fry, 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
3. Remove the soup pot from the heat and allow to cool, 10 minutes, before blending until smooth. Pour the soup into bowls and serve with the chorizo croutons and garnish with fresh basil.

Credit: Food & Home