‘Of Soup and Love, the first is best’ Thomas Fuller 1808 – 1861

There is nothing like a bowl of soup on a cold day and so easy too- if you can chop veggies and boil the kettle then you have a soup.

This red pepper and tomato soup is perfect for lunch. To make it more substantial I added a can of cannellini beans and some diced cooked chorizo for the top. A drizzle of olive oil thanks to Kate Shannon of Bistro One and we were good to go. It was quite hot despite leaving out all the seeds of the chilli but you may like it hotter.

Spicy Red Pepper and Tomato soup with Beans
3 Red Peppers cored and sliced into thin strips
A selection of tomatoes – I used about 6 tomatoes, 1 beef, some San Marzanos, some little pear ones and a few little green and red tigers.
1 chilli pepper – deseeded and chopped
1 shallot
1 clove of garlic chopped finely
1 pint of stock
1 can cannelloni beans drained and rinsed well
2 inch piece chorizo diced
1 tbsp olive oil and a few glugs of extra virgin oil for top of the soup

Heat oil and sauté the shallot, garlic, chilli and red pepper until softened
Chop the tomatoes – not too small and add to the pan and cook on medium heat until softened
Add the stock and cook until the peppers are soft
Blend until smooth
Check the seasoning and add as required- I added salt and pepper
Return blended soup to the pan and add the beans to the soup on medium heat to heat through
Meanwhile sauté the chorizo on dry pan – it will release its own lovely paprika oil
Serve soup topped with chorizo and drizzle of extra virgin oil