Spider’s web soup

soup

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE SOUP

  • 6 red peppers
  • 2 tsp Co-op olive oil
  • 25g Co-op unsalted butter
  • 2 leeks, sliced
  • 3 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 2 x 400g cans Co-op chopped tomatoes
  • 1 tsp Fairtrade caster sugar
  • 1 litre vegetable stock, made with 1 stock cube
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 3 tbsp Co-op extra virgin olive oil
  • 6 tsp single cream, to decorate

FOR THE TOASTIES

  • 6 slices from 400g Co-op white farmhouse loaf
  • 2 heaped tbsp Co-op tomato purée
  • 6 Co-op pitted black olives in brine, drained and finely sliced, plus extra to garnish
  • 6 Co-op mature Cheddar slices,cut into thin strips
  • 6 tsp single cream, to serve

METHOD

TO MAKE THE SOUP

  1. Heat the oven to 200°C/fan 180°C/Gas 6
  2. Lay the peppers on a baking tray, drizzle lightly with oil and roast for 40 mins, until collapsed and blackened in places
  3. Allow to cool, then tear out and discard the stalks and seeds, slip off the skins (don’t worry if you leave a few bits on) and put the soft flesh aside for later
  4. Melt the butter in a saucepan and add the leek and garlic
  5. Cook, stirring over a medium heat for 10 mins until softened, then add the tomatoes, sugar, peppers, stock and bay leaves, and bring to a simmer for 15 mins
  6. Season the mixture, remove the bay leaves, then whizz the soup with a stick blender until smooth
  7. Pour the soup into bowls, then drizzle concentric circles with the cream
  8. Use a cocktail stick to feather them out for a spider’s web effect

FOR THE TOASTIES

  1. Preheat the grill to high and line a large baking tray with foil
  2. Lightly toast the bread, then spread with the tomato purée
  3. Put 2 olive rings on each slice, near the top, for eyes, then lay cheese strips diagonally over the toast, spaced out so they don’t melt into each other
  4. Grill for about 1 minute, until the cheese has just melted — too long and you’ll lose the bandage effect
  5. Make spiders with the leftover olives, then serve