Green Tomato Soup

My mum and I have been growing tomatoes for about 4 years now. We always end up with too many plants and therefore huge gluts of toms, not only ripe ones but buckets of green ones at the end of the season too. There's usually some stubborn ones that won't ripen and so over the years I've compiled a few recipes to use them up, including a DELICIOUS green tomato cake, a salsa, and a soup which I'm going to share with you today.

If I could remember where I got this recipe from I would credit it, but I can't. If anyone finds the original then let me know so I can give credit where credit's due. This is a really satisfying soup and pretty quick and easy to put together, though it's worth taking time to get the veg really soft in the beginning.

Green Tomato Soup

serves 6

• 1oz butter
• 1 lb green tomatoes
• 8oz potatoes, peeled and sliced
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 pints stock
• 1 tin beans like borlotti, pinto or cannellini
• 1/4 tsp dried sage/thyme/mixed herbs
• salt and pepper
• a handful of rice
• 125ml single cream or a splash of chilli sauce (optional)

Method

1. Fry the tomatoes, potatoes and onion in butter until soft
2. Add the beans, stock, herbs, rice, salt and pepper and bring to the boil
3. Simmer for 30 minutes or until the veg is tender
4. Blend 2/3 of the soup if you like some texture or all of it if you like it smooth
5. Stir in the cream or chilli sauce if using (I don't), and reheat before serving.

Enjoy!