Recipe: Tinned Tomato Soup

I am a massive fan of tinned tomato soup. It is wonderful stuff with grated cheese on top, Worcestershire sauce dropped in, or straight from the tin on a camping trip. There's something really reminiscent of childhood lunches about it, probably due to the luminous colour and the fear that I'll drop it down my top and leave a lurid orange stain. Having spent half of my day staring out of my living room window at a very foggy and rainy park, and the storms brought on by Hurricane Katia, I need comfort. Preferably comfort that doesn't involve taking my slippers off or the use of an umbrella. Tinned tomato soup is the answer.

Tinned Tomato Soup
Serves 2

25g butter

1 garlic clove, sliced or diced

1 medium onion/small leek, chopped
1 tin of plum tomatoes (use posh ones if you can, but if you're feeling the need for frugality, smartprice ones can be topped up with an extra tablespoon of tomato puree)
1 tablespoon tomato puree
generous pinch of sugar
250ml low salt chicken or vegetable stock
50ml cream
salt and pepper to taste

Melt the butter in a pan and add the onion and garlic. Cook gently until they begin to soften, and add the tomatoes. Stir through, and add in the stock and sugar.
Simmer through for 5 minutes, until the tomatoes are soft and the leek or onion are translucent. Blend thoroughly, adding more hot stock if needed until smooth. At the desired consistency, add the cream, and return to the heat slowly until at serving temperature.