Tomato And Orange Soup With Parmesan Croutons

Total Time: 1 hr Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 45 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 10
• 1 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 lb onion
• 4 lbs tomatoes
• 1 lb old potato
• 2 large carrots
• 2 large red peppers (pimientos)
• 2 stalks celery
• 6 garlic cloves, crushed (optional)
• 1 orange, juice and zest of
• 1 lemon, juice and zest of
• 1/2 pint wine
• 2 pints orange juice
• 1/2 pint chicken stock
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• salt
• fresh ground black pepper
• 1 cup freshly chopped basil
• double cream (to garnish)
• basil leaves (to garnish)
• 1 small french baguette
• 3 ounces butter
• 1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed
• 2 ounces fresh grated parmesan cheese
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika

Recipe

• 1 tomato and orange soup-----------.
• 2 prepare and roughly chop the onions, potatoes, carrots, celery and red peppers.
• 3 quarter the tomatoes and scoop out the seeds which will make the soup taste bitter if used (extract any juice from the "jelly" surrounding the seeds).
• 4 use a big saucepan.
• 5 "sweat" the onions, potatoes, carrots, celery and peppers in the olive oil on a low heat for about 10 minutes or until softened, add the tomatoes and garlic and cook for a further 10 minutes.
• 6 add the wine, stock, orange and lemon juice and zest and bring rapidly to the boil.
• 7 add salt pepper and sugar.
• 8 reduce the heat and simmer for another 15 minutes.
• 9 blend the soup and pass it through a fine mesh sieve to produce a smooth liquid.
• 10 at this point the soup can be frozen.
• 11 reheat the soup being careful not to let it boil.
• 12 add the chopped basil an stir well.
• 13 taste and adjust the seasoning if required.
• 14 serve the soup with a swirl of double cream and float a couple of whole basil leaves on top.
• 15 parmesan croutons---------------.
• 16 pound together the butter, garlic, paprika and parmesan cheese.
• 17 spread the mixture on thin slices of french bread.
• 18 bake in the centre of a medium oven for about 10 minutes or until toasted golden.
• 19 serve hot with the soup.