Spicy tomato soup with meatballs, and the best tips to cook tomatoes

This is an “all-seasons” special — a one-dish meal that has a spicy kick that can help raise the spirits on a chilly evening. Read the recipe.

TOMATOES are never far from my thoughts in my kitchen, whether fresh from the benchtop bowl or from a tin in the pantry. They are invaluable things to have around all year.

In summer and winter salads, fresh tomatoes combine readily with so many other ingredients — not least
of all a wonderful array of herbs and leafy greens fresh from the home vegetable patch.

I often refer to this dish as an “all-seasons” special. It’s a one-dish meal that has a spicy kick that can help raise the spirits on a chilly evening as the weather struggles to stay in double-digit temperatures. The great hit of fresh lemon juice provides a perfect partner for the tomato tang, with crusty bread and a glass of red wine the only things needed for a meal in front of the fire.

Pep up: Spicy tomato soup with meatballs. Picture: Dannika Bonser

SPICY TOMATO SOUP WITH MEATBALLS

Serves 4-6

250g pork mince

½ cup cooked white rice

1 egg, lightly beaten

1 medium onion, finely chopped

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

3 tbsp olive oil

2 ribs celery, finely chopped

1 medium carrot, finely chopped

½ red capsicum, stemmed, seeded and finely chopped

2 tbsp tomato paste

1 tbsp paprika

6 cups chicken stock

440g tin whole, peeled tomatoes, drained and crushed

2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

2 tbsp finely chopped parsley

Mix the pork, rice, egg, half the onion and the salt and pepper in a bowl until evenly combined. Form into meatballs and chill for at least an hour. (I used a small ice cream scoop to do this and finished with about 30 meatballs.)

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the remaining onion, celery, carrot and capsicum. Season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring, until soft, about 8 minutes. Add the tomato paste and paprika and cook, stirring, until lightly caramelised, about 2 minutes. Add the stock and tomatoes and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the meatballs, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the meatballs are cooked through, about 15 minutes. Stir in the lemon juice and season with salt and pepper. Ladle the soup and meatballs into serving bowls. Garnish with parsley to serve.

SAVOUR THE FLAVOUR — TAKE THE SIMPLE APPROACH

GRILLED: Core tomatoes, cut in half crosswise and place on a baking tray in a single layer. Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with salt, pepper, garlic and parsley. Place in the oven 10-15cm away from the griller. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes, until lightly browned.

ROASTED: Core tomatoes and cut in half lengthwise or crosswise. Place the tomatoes in a sealable plastic bag and add enough extra virgin olive oil to sufficiently coat them. Turn the sealed bag carefully until all the tomatoes are well coated. Place tomatoes skin side down on a baking tray. Arrange so there is a small amount of space between the tomato halves. Place in an oven preheated to 180C (160C fan) and cook until tomatoes are bubbling and slightly browned, generally 45 to 60 minutes.

STEWED: Peel skins from tomatoes — in a bowl, cover with boiling water for 2 minutes then rinse under cold water; the skins will peel away easily with a sharp paring knife. Cut out the core and chop the tomatoes into pieces. Place the prepared tomatoes in a saucepan. For approximately 1kg of tomatoes, add a tablespoon of butter, 2 teaspoons of sugar, a teaspoon of salt, and pepper to taste. If you wish, other ingredients can be added, such as garlic, onion or chopped capsicum. Cover and cook over low heat for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring every 4 to 5 minutes.

MORE TIPS

A GOOD serrated knife is far superior to a flat-edged knife for slicing tomatoes. If you use a flat-edged knife, it needs to be very sharp.

SCOOPED-OUT tomatoes make great edible “cups” for a salad made with mayonnaise, chopped hard-boiled egg and with a liberal seasoning of salt and pepper and chopped fresh herbs. Turn the hollowed out tomatoes upside down to drain for about 10 minutes before filling.

WHEN baking stuffed tomatoes, place them in a muffin tin for stability.

IF YOUR tomatoes seem overly acidic, you can add a sprinkle of sugar and salt, both of which will bring out the flavour.

DO NOT store ripe tomatoes in the refrigerator because this will cause them to become pulpy and lose their flavour. Store at room temperature and out of the sunlight.

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