Ingredients:
25g butter
1 small carrot, diced
2 celery sticks, diced
1 onion, chopped
450g tomatoes, quartered
1 bouquet garni
1 tsp sugar
2 cloves
600ml boiling water or stock
25g plain flour
2 tbsp cold milk
salt and freshly-ground black pepper, to taste
cream, to garnish (optional)
bail leaves, shredded, to garnish
Method:
Melt the butter in a pan and use to fry the carrot, celery and onion for about 8 minutes, or until softened. Add the tomatoes, bouquet garni, salt, black pepper, sugar, cloves and water or stock then bring the mixture to a boil.
Cover the pan and simmer the ingredients for 20 minutes or until all the vegetables are tender.
Pass the soup through a fine-meshed sieve, pressing down with the back of a spoon to purée. Dissolve the flour in the milk and whisk into the soup. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring constantly, then reduce to a simmer and cook gently for 15 minutes, stirring frequently.
Serve hot, ladled into bowls and garnished with a swirl of cream and a sprinkle of shredded basil.
