Notes from the Cape

Serves: 2-3 as a main dish, or 4-6 as a starter.

Ingredients:

• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• butter or oil, to sauté onion and garlic
• 2-3 cloves garlic
• 8 tomatoes, chopped
• 2 devil (birds eye) chillies, or to taste
• 1 litre vegetable or garlic and herb stock
• 1 bottle red wine
• Salt, pepper to taste
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 20 mls mixed herbs, fresh or dried

Method:

1. Heat the oil or butter in a large saucepan on high. Turn the stove down to a medium heat once done.
2. Add onions and garlic and sauté until softened and golden.
3. Add tomatoes and stir gently to mix with he onion and garlic. Chop the chilli into the mixture and stir thoroughly.
4. When the tomatoes are soft, slowly add vegetable stock and stir to mix in. The tomatoes should be covered generously.
5. Cook on medium-hot for about 20 minutes, keeping the soup just on the boil.
6. Lower heat slightly and add 1 glass red wine (about 150 mls), salt, pepper, and 2 teaspoons of sugar. Allow to simmer on a low heat.
7. Add the herbs and stir gently.
8. Keep hot until serving, or allow to cool before refrigerating/freezing.

Notes:

• The amounts are all to my tastes; if you choose, you can use either more or less of any of the following- chilli, garlic, red wine, stock.
• Soup can be served either hot or cold, depending on what you prefer- I like it both ways!
• The rest of the wine can be drunk along with the meal- for those of you who noticed the inconsistency in the recipe!!

Enjoy!

Note from Craig: This was going to be a submission to the blog party, but I didn’t realise that it was only for finger food :-( Hope you enjoy it anyway!