Two Soups - The Last of the Tomatoes and Simple Sweet Potato

It is so sad, Beautiful Outdoor Tomatoes have come to the end of their Season and we are back to the slightly insipid Vine Ripened. Better than nothing I guess but I do miss that deep colour and flavour
Once again I was inspired by Alex Guarnaschelli, Star of 'Alex's Day Off'
I already have a couple of excellent Tomato soup recipes but this one is fantastic.
Using fresh and canned tomatoes, you get the slightly smoky taste of the blistered fresh tomatoes
The blended with well seasoned canned tomatoes. Can't get mush better than this

The soup is made in two stages. Not difficult but well worth while.

First you have to blister the fresh tomatoes in a pan
then you Blitz them
Meanwhile in another pan. you cook down aromatic vegetables and combine with canned tomatoes

Next blend both pans and Voila.
Wonderful Tomato Soup


1 tablespoon Rice bran oil
12 medium tomatoes, core removed and bottoms scored
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 cup vermouth or white wine

2 tablespoons Olive oil
3 Shallots, peeled and chopped finely
10 cloves of garlic, peeled and smashed with the back of a knife
Good pinch chili flakes
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1 tablespoon oregano
Sea salt
1 can peeled tomatoes
1 teaspoon sugar
Water

Heat oil in  shallow pan big enough to hold the tomatoes
It needs to be smoking

Add prepared  tomatoes

When crackling and skins start to blacken, turn over
Add 1 tablespoon sugar
Take pan off heat
Then add 1/4 cup dry vermouth
Back onto the flame

Simmer till just tender

Cool and blitz in Blender

Place Olive oil in another pan
Add shallots and garlic 
Season with chili, white pepper,  oregano, and salt
Simmer
Stir when cooked down add canned tomatoes
Add some water and 1teaspoon sugar
Crush tomatoes and stir
Now put this mix into the blender
Blitz it as well
Add to fresh tomato soup
Look at that colour - divine
Serve with a slurp olive oil
Optional
Make croutons cover with cheese under grill serve on top of soup
I didn't do that but I'm sure it would be delicious

Now for a really Simple All in One Pot Soup

Try this Sweet Potato Soup
Once again inspired by a North American.
Canadian in fact, Chef Michael Smith.
It seems, that it is common to add cinnamon to Pumpkin and Sweet Potato
In fact Both of these Vegetables are frequently used in desserts.
Quite unusual for this part of the world but I do have to say, the cinnamon adds just that little extra
Zing.
Wonderful

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion peeled and chopped
1 carrot roughly chopped
1 stick celery sliced
1 clove garlic sliced
5 medium Sweet potatoes, Peeled and chopped
2 teaspoons cinnamon
Freshly ground black pepper
2 chicken stock cubes
Water
Sea Salt to taste

In a pot add Olive oil
Place chopped onions
Cook till they soften
Add carrot, celery and garlic
Stir around and cook for a couple of minutes
Add Sweet Potato and cinnamon
Stir again
Meanwhile dissolve Stock cube in hot water
Add to Vege
Add water till everything is well covered

Bring to boil
Simmer till vege are soft (about 30 minutes)
Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary
Into the trusty Blender again
Blitz
Guaranteed, you will have more than one bowl.