Not many people make a soup from this combination of ingredients, but once you try it, I think you'll keep it on your 'must-have' list.
Ingredients - enough soup for 4 - 6 people
6 tomatoes, each one larger than the average egg!
1 head of celery
2 apples (avoid acidic ones like Granny Smith)
1 sweet yellow onion
oil
1 small potato
salt and pepper
If possible, use sweet ripe red tomatoes. If you can't get them, then use less perfect ones, but sprinkle them with some caster sugar and salt and let them sit for about an hour to bring out the juices.
Roughly chop the onion - there's no need to be delicate about it, since you're going to blend everything in the end.
Wash the celery carefully - too many earwigs and too much earth for anyone to enjoy in this soup! Remove the root and the tips, and slice the rest into one-inch long pieces.
Choose a heavy pan and very thinly line the base with olive oil. Turn on the heat and when the oil is sufficiently hot, throw in the onions, stir and lower the heat. Keep stirring until the onion becomes transparent.
Peel the potato, dice it and throw the potato in with the onion. add tomatoes (and their juice) and add the celery. Cover with water and add enough salt to line the palm of your hand.
Take some baking parchment and cover it with softened butter. Put it, butter side down, on the soup and keep the heat really low. Cook for 3 hours, checking every hour and giving it all a stir.
Set aside, intact, and completely cool the soup. Refrigerate overnight if possible.
When you're ready, blend the soup in a good quality liquidizer. Start the blending process slowly, and keep turning the speed up.
Celery is fibrous. Some people like that, which is great. If you prefer a smooth, velvety soup, then you'll want a "Chinois". I'm sure that a good sized sieve would do, but I do recommend a Chinois and they're not pricey.
One way or another, make the soup as velvety as you like. Heat gently and serve warm ... or this makes an unusual and delightful cold gazpacho.
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