Tomato and Capsicum Soup - Two ways

Tomato and Capsicum Soup - Two ways

Is anyone still there?

Wondering what happened to me? Had I forgotten I had a Blog? Well briefly, yes!

I moved house and decided quite off the cuff to join a friend on a trip to Paris.

Yes, I did say Paris!

Those of you who follow me on instagram will be aware that I've not stopped cooking quite the contrary. But to find 5 min on my computer to write a post or edit photo's hasn't been a possibility in this house of late.

  

  Mostly my days are a blur, this is why I decided I'd go to Paris (I also have a very understanding supportive boyfriend who said, GO)! 

My blog has been in dire need of some TLC and lets be real, who wouldn't go to Paris if it were an option?

 So half hearted I've followed an eating plan that Anthia put together for me over the past month, so I could lose 5 kilos in the 

  lead up to my travels. A cleanse of sorts, I failed miserably I might say. But what I've learnt in the past 6 weeks is that moderation is the key - emotional eating is the enemy! 

My instagram photo's above were taken on good days and this Tomato & Capsicum soup I made was a winner. I made it in two variations and

I promised I'd post it - so that's what I'm doing!

Tomato & Capsicum Soup 

2 ways!

   

Bacon,chili,lentil & Coriander

Prawns,chili, borlotti beans & coriander 

I bought these insane baby heirloom tomatoes in Haberfeild the other day (locally grown and so delicious)

along with these tiny red,very sweet capsicums and fresh borlotti beans

So I washed the tomatoes, cored the capsicum and popped them into a baking dish along with some garlic and olive oil, salt, pepper and fresh chili (the mild version)

Roasted in a 175c oven for 45min -1 hour or until they are blistered and juices are released.

Now add them to a saucepan cover with stock and bring to a boil.

Let it cool a little, then push it through a sieve until all that's left are skins and seeds. Make sure you scrape the pulp off the underneath of the sieve.

If you're having dairy mix a little cream into your soup, but it tastes just as good without.

Make sure you taste your soup for seasoning and then serve with either one of these.
Soak and cook your lentil.

Crispy bits of bacon, lentils, finely chopped up green and red chilli's and coriander - Yum!

OR

Fresh Borlotti beans - boiled until cooked (about 20 min) and then fried in a little coconut butter with prawns that are cut up into bite size pieces and marinated with hot and mild hungarian paprika, garlic, salt and pepper

 Whichever one you pick they're equally delicious.
I have not added exact quantities because there arn't any, make as much or a little as you like.

 

I'm not promising many more posts before I leave, but I do promise that once I'm on that plane I will be blogging. I won't be writing about what I cook (there'll be no cooking on this holiday), just a lot of eating and food exploring. Everything that 2 weeks in Paris can give me! 
A personal diary of what I did and saw - some family history, but mostly so I have a memory of that crazy spur of the moment trip I was lucky enough to take.

8 sleeps to go....

©Michelle Schoeps 2013

All photos taken by Michelle Schoeps