Tomato Broth

Serves 6

INGREDIENTS 

4 onions, chopped

6 cloves garlic, chopped

4 sticks celery, chopped

20 large ripe tomatoes, about 2.5kg, chopped

2 litres chicken or vegetable stock

1 tbsp tomato puree – optional

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

FOR THE GARNISH

4 baby leeks, sliced

2 medium carrots, diced

1 beetroot, diced

3 tomatoes, skinned, deseeded and cut into strips

Chives

Chervil

METHOD 

• Put all tomato broth ingredients into a large pan, cover and bring to a boil.  Simmer for about an hour.
• Pour broth through a fine sieve, discarding what is left behind.  To make a really sparkling clear soup you will need to strain it through 4 layers of muslin but depending on the how you want the finished result to look this is not strictly necessary.  Season to taste.  If the broth is looking too pale add in the tomato puree to bring the colour up.
• Cook the leeks, carrots and beetroot separately in boiling water until tender.
• To serve; add the cooked leeks and carrot to the broth and warm through to serving temperature.  Add the tomato.  Pour into bowls and add in the beetroot (if you add it earlier it will stain the soup too much), chives and chervil and finish with some extra virgin rapeseed oil.