Raw Tomato Soup

It is supposed to be summertime here in the UK. At the time of writing here in London, you could be forgiven for thinking that spring has only just sprung, and yet it’s already mid-July! Nonetheless, it is tomato season, and now is a good time to buy and experiment. Tomatoes are fantastic in soups, salads, sauces, salsas, dips, tarts, casseroles, pastas, breads, pastries, drinks – or roasted, pickled, jammed, relished, the list goes on…

If you love tomatoes and you like your soup with a bit of kick, this one is for you. It’s one of my go-to recipes when I’m in between appointments and wanting something quick, light but not too heavy. Tomatoes are full of a wide range of nutrients, including lycopene, and they’re also a good source of biotin, which is great for hair.

Equipment

Knife
Blender

Ingredients

400g freshly chopped tomatoes
4 sun-dried tomatoes (drained if you have them soaked in oil)
6 raw cashew nuts (soaked for at least 20 minutes – optional if you can’t have nuts)
2 cups water
1-2 small dates
1 inch of celery
Small pinch black pepper
Small pinch salt
Small pinch garlic powder
1cm spring onion

Optional extra
Add a small pinch of smoked paprika, herbs and/or chilli flakes for an interesting variation on this recipe.

Method

Place all the ingredients and only one date in the blender and blend until completely smooth. Taste for seasoning and if you’d like your soup a little sweeter, add the other date. In a high speed blender the soup will be warm when done.