• 2 tbsp olive oil


• 25g/1oz butter


• 2 onions, finely chopped


• 1 small carrot, finely chopped


• 2 celery sticks, finely chopped


• 2 garlic cloves, crushed


• 1 bay leaf


• 1kg/2.5lb fresh over-ripe tomatoes, chopped


• pinch of sugar


• 600-750ml/1-1.5pt chicken or vegetable stock


• 100ml/3.5 fl.oz. single or whipping cream


• salt and pepper

1. Warm the oil and butter together in a large pan.


2. Once bubbling add the chopped onions, carrot, celery, garlic and bay leaf. Cook with lid on for 15-20 mins until the veg are soft.


3. Add the chopped tomatoes, sugar, s&p.


4. Replace lid, and cook on a low heat for a further 25-30 mins.


5. The tomatoes will now have stewed and softened, ready for the addition of 600ml/1pint of the stock.


6. Bring to a simmer and cook for a few minutes until sticking in the blender.


7. For a smooth finish, and to remove any seeds, it's best to strain the soup through a sieve.


8. Return to pan and stir in the cream. If the soup is too thick for your liking, add more stock until desired consistency is achieved. Warm through but do not let the soup boil - this will impair its flavour.

As a variation, add a generous helping of coursely ground black pepper at step 3, and instead of adding cream add plenty of finely chopped parsley (dried is OK - mainly for decoration). Sweet tomato soup with lovely green specs and a peppery bite is quite pleasant...