Hi Chatty,

I love my soups and so do my family. Anyhoo, here is the one I talked off. It would feed a small army.

2 large onions
6 large cloves of garlic
2 Table spoons tomato puree
4 tins plum tomatoes(500g undrained)
2lb large fresh carrots.
1 Chunk of ginger(apprx the size of two cloves of garlic)
1/2 table spoons of balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons of powdered mustard.
1 teaspoon paprika.
3/4 Pints of veg stock
Bunch of fresh basil

Chop onions and garlic roughly and sweat (basil infused extra virgin oil) in a large soup pot with the tomato puree until softened.
Add balsamic vinegar,paprika and mustard powder.
Then the tinned tomatoes and leave to simmer gently while slicing carrots and finely chopping the fresh ginger.
Add carrots, ginger and veg stock.
Bring slowly to boil and leave to simmer then on a low heat for an hour and a quarter,(leaving the lid on the pot)

After the cooking time, check to ensure that the carrots are cooked just soft.( Not mushy!)
At this point, I usually take a straining seive and lift out about a third of the tomatoes and carrots and put them in a bowl before tearing up most of the basil, throwing it into the remaining pot and blitzing it with the hand blender.
Put the contents of the bowl carefully back into the soup pot, season with sea salt and freshly ground pepper.
Tear the remaining basil and sprinkle on top.
Serve with crusty rolls and brie.

I also add spicy sausage and canneloni beans to this recipe and it becomes a hearty winter warming stew when not blended.
8/10 servings depending on how hungry your diners are.

Po