Tomato and Rice Soup

Ingredients

• 200g (7 oz) short-grain white rice … I used paella rice
  • Or same amount of pearl barley
• 6 large tomatoes
• 4 rashers of bacon or lardons
• 50ml (2 fl oz) olive oil
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 2 celery stick
• 1 large carrot
• 1 vegetable stock cube
• 500ml boiling water
• 500ml cold water
• 25g fresh parsley, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• ½ teaspoon caster sugar
• ¾ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, plus extra to taste

Method

1. Wash the rice/barley in a sieve with cold water until the water runs clear. Leave to drain.
2. Put a small cut into the skin of the tomatoes then place them in a deep heatproof bowl. Pour over boiling water to cover and leave for a 2-3 mins. Remove the tomatoes from the bowl, peel off the skins, discard, and then finely chop the flesh. Leave to one side in a bowl.
3. Pour the olive oil into a large pan and place over a medium heat. Add the bacon sliced really thinly.
4. Add the onion, celery, carrot and soften for 10-12 minutes until lightly caramelised.
5. While the onion is cooking, dissolve the stock cube in the boiling water, then top up with the cold water.
6. Add the tomatoes and stir them in well
7. Stir the parsley, into the caramelised onions and let everything sizzle for a minute or two.
8. Add the rice/barley, giving the grains a good stir so that they get fully coated in the tomatoes and onion.
9. Sprinkle in the sugar, then gently pour in the stock and season with the salt and pepper. Allow the soup to simmer over a medium heat for around 10 minutes until the rice is cooked.
10. Add the lemon juice a couple of minutes before you remove the pan from the heat and serve with crusty bread, adding a little more lemon juice to taste.
11. Optional, serve with a sprinkling of parmesan cheese over the top with fresh crusty bread.