Spiced Tomato Soup

There is only one Tomato Soup and that is made by a firm that is not British (surprise!) but from Pittsburgh and comes in an Andy Warhol tin.  But with a surfeit of sun dried tomatoes one night I made this.  Pretty darn good we thought.  Very, very rich but based on what might be found in most store cupboards.

Paula from Pitt

Ingredients (Imperial as I now live in the Glorious Homeland - as an "alien")

• 3-4oz sun dried tomatoes soaked in 2 cups (= 16floz) hot water for about 1/2 hour, chopped
• 2 tbspn vegetable oil (or 1 each of veg & olive oil), chopped onion, 1-2 bay leaves, chopped celery stick (don't worry it will be blended later for those that avoid celery), 1/2 tspn chili powder, 1/2 tspn cinnamon (trust me I'm a doctor), 2 cardamom pods cracked
• 14oz(ish) tin tomatoes chopped plus juice
• 1 cup(ish) water, 1 tbsn shredded basil, salt to taste, good grind black pepper, yoghurt or sour cream

How to: put oil in medium sized, heavy based pan with lid, with chili powder, cinnamon, cardamom and medium heat for 2-3 mins til spices give off aroma and start to crack.

Add bay leaves, onion, celery, turn down heat very low and put lid on and soften for 20 mins or so till onion goes clear but not brown.

Add tinned tomatoes & juice and sun dried tomatoes & juice. Simmer for 20 mins or so.

Remove bay leaves & cardamom, liquidise soup (this really is better smooth). Add basil, salt, pepper and a cup or so of water to get to a thick but still soupish consistency (your choice).  Warm through.  Serve into warm bowls and add a dollop of sour cream or yoghurt if you like.  I'd suggest not cream as you need something sharp to cut through the rich sweetness of the soup.

NB if you want to make this ahead of time (soups are often better the next day) then stop before you remove the spices and liquidise.  Let it cool. Store for a day and then remove spices etc.