Tomato and Basil Soup

One of our food strategies is to try to make each dinner last two meals - since we both work full-time and like to gym it up after work. Soup is always good since it isn't adversely affected by being reheated - we have a couple of favourites but this week thought we should try a new recipe. It's, ah, not an adventurous or particularly exciting recipe - but it was very tasty, and has done us three dinners plus a lunch - so I guess seven servings.

The recipe is a Jamie Oliver special (from the Ministry of Food book, which I really like as it covers the basics really well and makes it clear you don't have to follow recipes to the letter when you're cooking).

The first night we just kind of mashed it up, so it was pretty rustic - pretty tasty, but I decided I wanted smooth, thick tomato soup - so I decided I needed this:

And it really did improve the soup - most of the soup we make is based on things like kumara or pumpkin, so mashing is really good enough (though you can be sure I'll be whizzing those too, now!) - but tomato skins in particular are a bit odd in unblended tomato soup. So:

Smooth and thick, and delicious!

Tomato and Basil Soup (serves 6-8)
Ingredients
2 carrots
2 sticks celery
2 onions
2 cloves of garlic
olive oil
2 chicken or vege stock cubes/1 litre of stock
800g tinned tomatoes
6 large ripe tomatoes
small bunch fresh basil
salt and pepper

Method 
Peel and roughly chop carrots and onions, and chop celery. Peel and slice garlic. Put a (very) large pan on medium heat and put the veges and olive oil in. Cook for around 10 minutes with the lid askew, until carrots are soft but still hold their shape.

If using stock cubes, add 1.8 litres of boiling water to them and dissolve then add to the pot - otherwise add the liquid stock plus 800mls of water. Add the tinned and fresh tomatoes, stir and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes with the lid on.

Remove from the heat, season with salt and pepper then add the basil leaves. Pulse until smooth and serve!

Maybe with more basil, and some hearty wholegrain toast...

Or with some shaved parmesan and lots of freshly ground black pepper. Mmmmmmm...

What's your best dinner time saver?